‘Explain to Nigerians how you spend allocations’ — Presidency to PDP governors

The Federal Government on Tuesday declared that governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, owe Nigerians an explanation on whether or not they spent increased allocations on their people.

This is even as the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, government insisted that the nation’s economy is still very strong and meeting financial obligations to lenders at home and abroad.

This was made known on Tuesday in a statement by Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information & National Orientation, who said the government is running effectively and can pay all its bills while maintaining a healthy trade balance with trading partners worldwide.

The federal government’s reaction comes on the heels of a statement by the PDP governors’ call to the APC-led federal government to rise to the occasion and address the worsening economic hardship in the country before it gets out of hand.

The governors said the current hardship being experienced by Nigerians was occasioned by the economic and security challenges being faced by the nation.

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“The forum consequently urges the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, embark on initiatives involving all the sub-national governments to bring a lasting solution to the crises,” said the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.

Responding to the statement, Idris said the federal government welcomed their call for a bipartisan approach to solving the nation’s economic and security problems.

However, he berated them, saying: “The PDP governors did not conduct themselves in a manner befitting their roles as leaders in the country who are members of two important constitutional organs of government, the National Economic Council, which is the highest economic management organ of the country, and the National Council of States.”

The minister accused the PDP governors of mischievously and falsely comparing the nation’s current economic challenges to those of Venezuela.

He said while opposition politicians were expected to play politics, it should be done within the bounds of truth and fidelity to facts, insisting it was unconscionable of PDP governors to manipulate facts and misinform Nigerians about the country’s true state of affairs.

The statement partly reads: “Governors elected on the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) platform met yesterday in Abuja and addressed a press conference, where their chairman, Governor Bala Mohammed, read out their position on the country’s economic and security situation.

“We welcome their call for a bipartisan approach to solving our nation’s economic and security problems. As critical stakeholders and leaders at the sub-national level, the PDP governors certainly have the right to state their position on national concerns, as is expected.

“The Nigerian economy is still very strong and is expected to record 3 per cent GDP growth this year. The economy is meeting financial obligations to lenders at home and abroad.

“The Nigerian government is running effectively, and our government can pay all its bills while maintaining a healthy trade balance with trading partners worldwide.

“While opposition politicians are expected to play politics, it should be done within the bounds of truth and fidelity to facts. It is unconscionable for PDP governors to manipulate facts and misinform Nigerians about our country’s true state of affairs.

“Nigerians should ask PDP governors how far and how well they have utilised the increased revenue to better the lives of Nigerians in their respective states.

“It is on record that most states controlled by PDP owe workers and pensioners months of unpaid salary and pension arrears. The PDP governors have defaulted in paying gratuities to their retired workers. It is also a fact that many of the PDP governors have not paid N30,000 minimum wage to their workers since it took effect more than four years ago. All of these anomalies in their states contribute significantly to the economic pressure their citizens face.

“If PDP governors are genuinely interested in the living conditions of Nigerians and are not just stirring up disaffection and ill-will towards the federal government, we urge them to meet their obligations to workers, pensioners, and local contractors and see the multiplier effect.

“It is disappointing that PDP governors talk about rising costs of living and food when they have not done much to increase food production in their states. The land in Nigeria belongs to the states, not the Federal Government.”