The governors under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) have declared the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) unfit to participate in the 2023 general elction, saying that the ruling party has become “uncaring and a menace to Nigerians”.
The opposition governors under the aegis of PDP Governors Forum passed the damning verdict on the APC led administration of President Muhammadu Buhari at its regular meeting held on Wednesday at the Umuobiakwa country home of its Vice-chairman and Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu with 12 governors and a deputy governor in attendance.
According to the Forum, it was a surprise that “in the face of these statistics of complete failure in all
Should APC insist on contesting the forthcoming general election despite it woeful failure in every aspects of national life, the PDP Governors said that Nigerians should outrightly reject the ruling party at the polls.
“The Forum urges Nigerians to reject the APC, a party run undemocratically by a Committee contrary to the Constitution (S.228) with Mr. President regularly issuing instructions and dictates. It is impossible for a party so disorganized to offer good governance to the people of Nigeria”.
In a nine-point communique read by the chairman of the Forum and Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, the go enjoys lamented “excruciating hardships and suffering being meted out to Nigerians by a failed APC led Federal Government”, which is enough reason for Nigerians to reject the party.
They also stated that APC is no longer viable as a political party and is “at the point of near collapse”, adding that Nigerians should hinge their hope on “the readiness of the PDP to take over and offer qualitative leadership options to rescue the nation”.
We lament the terrible pain and hardship facing Nigerians in virtually all aspects of life. The meeting noted that life was much better in 2015 under the PDP than today under the APC,” the PDP Governors said.
Using comparative indicators “obtained mainly” from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBC), the PDP Governors said that
diesel which is critical for running of SMEs was N131.47 in 2015, but it now costs above N700.
“Fuel: Official and Black-Market was N87/155 in 2015, it now costs N167/350.
Aviation Fuel/Air Ticket Rate on Domestic Flights was N110 per Litre/N18,000 in 2015, it now hovers around N700 per Litre/N70,000, where available.
“Unemployment rate was 11.4% in 2015, it is now over 33%, one the highest in the world.
The poverty rate in 2015 was 11.3% but now about 42.8%.
Accumulated Inflation in 2015 was about 4%, it is now 15.50%; Inflation Rate was 9.01% in 2015 and now 15.7%.
Perhaps the Exchange Rate has been one of the most disastrous. N150 to a dollar was the parallel market (patronised by most businessmen and Nigerians) rate in 2015, it is now about N580 to $1 in the parrel market and still rising.
On Debt and Debt Servicing, the Forum said:
“Domestic Debt of N8.4T and External Debt of USD 7.3bn was incurred between 1999-2015.
While Domestic Debt of N7.63T (June 2015-Dec 2020) and USD28.57bn as at Dec 2020 was incurred. External debt of USD21.27bn was incurred between June 2015 and 2021.
National Debt to GDP Ratio was 23.41% (2016) it is now 36.88% (2022)”.
“The Corruption Index has risen from 136 in 2015 to 150 now. Nigeria’s Misery Index, an indicator used in determining how economically well off the citizens of a country are, is usually calculated by adding the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate to the annual inflation rate, has moved from 14.75 percent in 2015 to 50.48 (2021).
“The major threat to the agricultural sector and food security in Nigeria is insecurity. In the northeast of Nigeria, it is estimated that no fewer than 70,000 hectares of arable farmland have been abandoned in the affected States and Local Government areas. The trend is the same all over the country. This further contributes to food inflation. The APC led Federal Government must take steps to cooperate with States to bring security down to the grassroots.
On the economic front, the Forum took a swipe at the ruling party, expressing “concern and alarm over various reports and claims of incidents of stealing of crude oil ranging from 80% to 95% of production made by industry practitioners and called on the Federal Government to set up an appropriate mechanism to reverse this trend and bring perpetrators to account.
“The PDP Governors once again decried the inability of the NNPC to make its statutory contributions to the Federation Account, inspite of Oil selling at above $110. It is patently unconstitutional for NNPC to determine at its whim and discretion when and what to pay to the Federation Account, as it is a mere trustee of the funds for the three tiers of Government: Federal, States and Local Governments. We once again, call for investigations and audit of the quantity of consumption of fuel ascribed to Nigerians and for deployment of technology at the filling stations to determine in a transparent manner the volume of consumption.
“The Governors would resist any further attempt by NNPC to ascribe unsubstantiated subsidy claims to other tiers of government.”
Other PDP Governors that attended the meeting include, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri – Adamawa State; Udom Emmanuel – Akwa Ibom State; Bala Mohammed -Bauchi State; Sen. Douye Diri – Bayelsa State; Samuel Ortom — Benue State;
Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa – Delta State; Godwin Obaseki – Edo State; Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi – Enugu State;
Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde – Oyo State;
Nyesom Wike – Rivers State; and Hon Haruna Manu, Deputy Governor – Taraba State.
