For the Executive Farmer Governor of Niger State; His Excellency Umar Bago who happens to be the 6th democratically elected Governor of the Power state, has paid his dues and also played politics at the grassroots level before getting to his current status.
From his actions, he seems to have prepared for the job ahead as he is in the quest of making history as a governor who takes food security and farming to the next level taking advantage of the fertile and vast landmass Niger state currently has also banking on the current challenges affecting agric business in Nigeria as an opportunity for Niger state to create revenue and also empower its local farming population.
The banker-turned-politician started with a stellar career in the banking sector having worked at the United Bank for Africa, First City Monument Bank FCMB and Afribank before heeding the calls of his people to delve into politics in 2007. For him, he had always said his sojourn into the murky waters of politics was humanity is driven and one thing he has come to realize is that he is a fulfilled man serving his people and also bringing succour to their pains and making life better for them. In 2010, He contested and won a seat at the House of Representatives representing Chanchanga Federal constituency in Minna where he was until he was sworn in as Governor of Niger State.
As a member of the Green Chamber; Bago was cosmopolitan, refined, cerebral, and socially savvy and was adjudged a great guy by his colleagues. He was a force in the chambers that spoke with confidence, and authority and knows his onions. As chairman House Committee Maritime Safety Education and Administration; the Political science graduate from the Usman Danfodio University Sokoto ensured he discharged his duties diligently this placed him on the map and made many people notice his strides.
In his bid to make Niger state regain its lost glory as one of the biggest food-producing states in Nigeria; he acquired over 300 tractors and other mechanized farming equipment as he also allocated thousands of hectares of land for farming. President Bola Tinubu was on the ground to flag off the pilot phase which would see the prices of food crash drastically and also bring about food security in the country. Apart from his giant strides in Agriculture, he has committed a whole lot to road and infrastructural development, security, education, commerce, tourism, health, infrastructural development, and women and youth empowerment he also rebuilt and remodelled the moribund Minna Airport with modern equipment and also renamed it Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The farmer Governor is indeed not relenting on his oars as he also signed a partnership with Lagos state to supply the state which already has the ready-made market for farm produce which will ensure that farmers get to sell their goods in real-time and also make profits to be reinvested as he also plans to synergize with more state who are ready to key into the massive food production chain.