By Atlantic Reports

Alhaji Ahmadu Zumaru, identified as the National Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Kebbi, has pledged alternative learning arrangements for children affected by insecurity and a rural development programme if elected in 2027.

Speaking at a Candidates Engagement Forum organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kebbi State Council, in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday, Zumaru outlined proposals spanning education, agriculture, security, justice and mining.

He said his ambition was driven by a desire to provide people-oriented leadership and tackle corruption and other challenges facing the state.

Keeping children in education

Zumaru said his administration would assess the number of pupils and students in remote communities affected by insecurity and make arrangements for their education while efforts to restore safety continued.

“We cannot leave children at home indefinitely while waiting for security to improve. We must make provisions for them to continue learning,” he said.

He proposed digital learning opportunities, improved teachers’ welfare and policies to attract highly qualified personnel, including doctorate degree holders, into primary school teaching.

An education funding committee would also be established to assess the sector’s challenges and recommend solutions, he said.

However, his presentation did not specify the alternative learning arrangements, their cost or how digital education would reach children in communities with limited infrastructure.

Zumaru also pledged to raise the proportion of female teachers to 75 per cent, arguing that women played an important role in children’s early development. He did not provide a current staffing baseline or a timetable for reaching the target.

He promised policies to protect women’s political, economic, social and religious rights and improve their participation and welfare.

Rural investment and timely farm inputs

The candidate proposed a joint rural development programme under which local governments would contribute 20 per cent of the funding, alongside state government contributions.

He said investment in infrastructure and economic opportunities would encourage balanced development across local government areas and reduce rural-to-urban migration.

The proposal did not include an overall funding estimate or explain how projects would be selected and monitored.

On agriculture, Zumaru criticised what he described as the untimely distribution of fertiliser. He said inputs should reach farmers in accordance with the agricultural calendar to improve productivity.

He argued that Kebbi’s farmers needed stronger support to increase production and reduce dependence on food imports.

Zumaru also advocated renewed attention to agricultural and industrial initiatives associated with former governor Atiku Bagudu, including the Lake Rice initiative and a bioethanol fuel project.

He expressed concern that the initiatives had received insufficient attention and said the state’s raw materials could support industries and employment. He did not outline their current operational status or the investment required to revive them.

Policing, justice and community interests

On security, Zumaru pledged to pursue state policing, arguing that decentralised policing could improve responses because affected communities understood their local circumstances.

He also proposed closer scrutiny of prospective traditional rulers before appointment.

“If elected, I will propose reforms in the traditional institution as prospective traditional rulers should undergo thorough assessment and investigation before appointment,” he said.

On justice, he called for closer examination of the application of common law, customary law and Sharia law traditions to promote fairness. He said any reforms would remain within the law.

Zumaru also promised to review policies governing mining activities so that host communities benefited from extracted resources and environmental concerns received attention.

For young people, he proposed guidance and counselling units from primary schools to tertiary institutions, describing them as a means of encouraging discipline, patriotism and respect for societal values.

The proposals remain campaign commitments. Their delivery would depend on detailed implementation plans, funding and the legal authority required for each reform.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.