Rice Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in Bauchi State has pledged to garner 800,000 votes for President Muhammadu Buhari during the forthcoming general elections.
The State chairman of the Rice Farmers’ Association of Nigeria, Bauchi state chapter, Dr Yahaya Yusuf, stated this on Monday at a press conference held at the secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Bauchi.
Yusuf, who was accompanied by the twenty local government chairmen of RIFAN, said their pledge became necessary in view of the many programmes the Buhari-led administration had introduced which had transformed their lives.
He said, “We, as farmers, stayed for several years and no government helped us.
“But when Buhari came, in just two months after he was inaugurated, he went to Kebbi State and inaugurated the Anchor Borrower’s Programme. This paved the way for farmers to have access to loan from the CBN.
“In Bauchi State for instance, this administration has improved the income of farmers by introducing the Anchor Borrowers Programme in which, so far, 10,000 farmers have benefited from.”
Yusuf said members of the group had no option but to endorse Buhari after considering his laudable achievements.
“We are promising to give the President over 800, 000 votes in the general elections.
We are calling on all the local government chairmen of our association to go back and mobilise all members to give the President these votes.
“We will also mobilise our sister organisations to vote massively for him so that he will continue with the good work he has started.”