Inuwa Yahaya, governor of Gombe, says his state is ready to follow President Bola Tinubu “to the battlefield in blindfolds” — ahead of the 2027 poll.
Speaking at the inauguration of an agro-livestock industrial zone in Gombe on Saturday, Yahaya declared his full support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He described the president as a leader whose reforms are transforming lives despite short-term hardships.
“For what he has done, is doing, and will do, Gombe people will follow him to the battlefield blindfolded,” the governor said.
“We will work for his success in 2027. By God’s grace, his re-election is assured.”
Yahaya said the president had pledged N120 billion to establish the 184-hectare agro-livestock industrial zone and has released N60 billion to kick-start the project.
He noted that the facility, expected to host an ultramodern abattoir, an international livestock market, fattening hubs, a tannery and leather factory, a grains and livestock feed market, and an inland dry port, is aimed at creating jobs and boosting Nigeria’s livestock economy.
“The Gombe Ultramodern Abattoir is set to transform meat processing in the state and the entire northern region,” Yahaya said.
“This automated facility will enable hygienic, efficient, and globally compliant processing, packaging, and distribution — serving both domestic and international markets.”
He said the zone would eliminate unsafe, outdated practices such as transporting live animals across long distances, while improving productivity and enhancing Nigeria’s foreign earnings.
Yahaya also praised Tinubu’s recognition of livestock development as a core economic sector in the north, a region he said had long been neglected by previous leaders.
“No northern leader in 47 years of power considered investing N120 billion to transform the livestock sector, despite it being a predominantly northern industry,” the governor added.
“If not for a president who loves his people and has the capacity and will, this transformation would not have happened.”
Idi Maiha, minister of livestock development, stated that the industrial zone aligns with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which includes boosting animal processing capacity for local consumption and export.
He said when completed, the facility would process 500 bulls, 1,000 small ruminants, and 3,000 poultry birds daily.
“This is a game-changer. The president is committed to transforming the livestock sector into a viable economic engine for Nigeria,” Maiha said.
The project is part of the federal government’s broader push to reposition agriculture and livestock as key drivers of economic growth, job creation, and food security. (The cable)
