By Jane Okafor, Abuja
The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has advised Nigerians to ignore ploys by the opposition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to distract attention from the successful Nigeria-Belarus tractor deal which analysts describe as the single largest investment in the mechanised farming by any Nigerian government in history.
This statement is made in the aftermath of a dubious attempt by the media handlers of the former Vice President and their collaborators to raise empty dust over President Bola Tinubu’s remarks about the Belarusian entrepreneur, Alex Zingman, who facilitated the multi-million dollar tractor deal between Nigeria and Belarus.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa, and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, TMSG accused them of deliberately derogating and badmouthing the giant strides of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to belittle the giant strides in the minds of Nigerians.
“We make bold to say that the Atiku team and its principal are doing their utmost by resorting to subterfuge to downplay a major achievement of President Tinubu in the agriculture sector.
“This is because never in the country’s history has any administration delivered what is clearly the largest agricultural mechanisation initiative in the country’s history.
“What President Bola Tinubu commissioned were 2,000 high-quality tractors, 10 combine harvesters, 12 mobile workshops, 9,000 implements, and 9,000 spare part kits.
“Simply put, it was a clear fulfilment of a July 2023 pledge by President Tinubu when he declared a state of emergency on food security, and assured Nigerians that his administration would pave the way for a paradigm shift in agriculture from the outdated model to a 21st-century farming system.
“And knowing that the commissioning of the 2,000 tractors and allied equipment was a major win for the Tinubu administration, the former Vice President knew they had to latch onto something to cast a dark shadow on such a momentous occasion.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the deal with Belarus will not stop with the supply of tractors, there are also two other phases of the collaboration which include establishing service and maintenance centres for Belarusian machinery in Nigeria, setting up local assembly plants for agricultural equipment, constructing grain storage complexes, and training Nigerians to operate and maintain advanced farming machinery.
“We invite Nigerians to note that the Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus, Viktor Karenkevich, delivered a goodwill message on behalf of President Alexander Lukashenko to signpost the government-to-government collaboration,” the statement added.
TMSG, however, noted that it was not surprising that former Vice President Abubakar sought to belittle the great agric breakthrough by playing down such a breathtaking and momentous achievement of the Bola Tinubu government
The group said: “Just because President Tinubu acknowledged the role played by the Belarusian entrepreneur Alex Zingman, whom he described as a ‘very good neighbour and schoolmate, the opposition thought they had found a ‘smoking gun’ in their alleged age difference.
“And in their usual way of latching on to social media trends, the former Vice President and his media handlers not only drew attention to it, they also referred to Zingman as an individual ‘whose international reputation is mired in scandal.’
“But we are aware that the President said the Belarusian was a schoolmate, contrary to suggestions by the opposition that he called him a classmate.
“We also find it rather ironic that a former Vice President who has the historical global distinction of being used as a case study on foreign corruption by the US Congress, would be so eager to malign other people at the slightest chance.
“There are several international media reports on how Zingman helped put together a $58m agriculture deal between Belarus and Zimbabwe that has since 2018 improved food security and revolutionised agriculture in the Southern African country.
“But Atiku’s media handlers prefer to focus on the Belarusian’s arrest and investigation in the DRC over his relationship with former President Joseph Kabila for which he was later cleared of any wrongdoing and released without any formal charges.
TMSG added that Nigerians should focus more on the benefits inherent in the bilateral deal with Belarus that will significantly boost food security in the country.
