From Musa Solomon, Yola
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned Nigerians to be ready to sell their children for food if the All Progressives Congress (APC) retains power in 2019.
The Adamawa Chairman of party, Alhaji Bobboi Umar, painted this grim picture when he spoke with journalists in Yola, the State capital. “When PDP left office sixteen years of ruling the country a bag of rice was N6000, a bag of sugar was N7000, a liter of fuel was N67 naira only, but within two years a bag of rice is N19000, a bag of sugar is N22000, a liter of fuel is between N 145 – N200, exchange rate was N197 per one dollar within two years it is between N375 and N500 per one dollar. The question is if this government spend eight years in office will the country Nigeria still function?” he asked.
He said that the score-card of President Muhammadu Buhari, in two years has confirmed that the present administration has nothing to offer apart from destroying the foundation of economy built by the PDP. The PDP has been roundly flayed for the plight of the country has found herself due to unbridled corruption. .
He dismissed the allegations by APC leaders that the economy crisis is due to PDP past mismanagement of the economy, pointing out that PDP inherited a battered economy from the military government after the military spent over sixteen years in office, but that the PDP administration’s crack economy team revived the economy in less than a year.
Umar noted with total dismay that within two years Nigerians cannot afford to buy a bag of rice due to unfocused and unfriendly policies put in place by the present government.
“The major problem of Buhari administration is that he made appointments based on sentiments, so the right people with the capacity to manage the economy were sidelined for sentimental reasons. That is why Nigerians will never enjoy democracy dividends until PDP returns to power in 2019,” he maintained.
Umar lamented on the non- compliance of security agencies like the Department of State Services (DSS) with court orders, adding that the abuse of court orders by government agencies may lead the country to anarchy.
“You cannot be abusing the constitution of the country and you are still pretending that you are fighting corruption, rather you are grooming corruption in a more dangerous manner,” he said.
Commenting on the Governor Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow’s administration, he said that the state is like a moving corpse that has lost the hope of existence.
“The money Bindow collected as loans, bail out, Paris club within two years is more that what PDP government got from 1999 to 2015, but yet for seven months teachers are not paid salaries, for close to two years health workers are not paid, pensioners are not paid for one year, there is no scholarship for our students, the question is if Buhari government is actually fighting corruption he supposed to ask Bindow questions on how he is spending the billions he collected in two years,” he stated.
Umar who urged Nigerians to pray for the return of PDP come 2019 general elections, noted that if the electorate allow APC to remain beyond 2019, those that have children should prepared to sell their children to buy food.