The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s remarks during his media interaction on Monday, asserting that the incumbent administration lacks concern for the economic difficulties faced by Nigerians.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the party’s spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba, expressed this sentiment in response to the President’s inaugural media chat, saying there is no hope in sight for Nigerians.
Ologunagba criticized the President for his insensitivity towards the pervasive suffering and challenges experienced by citizens, particularly in light of his assertion that he does not regret the removal of the petrol subsidy.
Naija News recalls that during the media chat, President Tinubu stated he has no regrets regarding the elimination of the petrol subsidy.
The PDP spokesperson further contended that rather than acknowledging shortcomings and pursuing remedies, Tinubu claimed that the economy had improved during his administration.
Ologunagba emphasized that the economic situation has deteriorated, characterized by a stagnant productive sector, a declining value of the naira, and an alarming inflation rate of 34.6 per cent.
“The declaration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that he has no regrets for the sudden removal of fuel subsidy without any cushioning measures to mitigate the resultant crippling effect on the productive sector, high cost of living, and associated hardship, which is now driving citizens to extreme poverty and early death, also confirms APC’s disconnection from the primary purpose of government, which is the welfare and security of the citizens.
“It is instructive that President Tinubu in the chat admitted that Nigerians are bearing the brunt of the failure and inability of the APC administration under his watch to effectively police and secure our nation’s borders so as to prevent the smuggling of petroleum products to neighbouring countries.
“The PDP is disturbed that while the APC has failed to account for the proceeds saved from the removal of the subsidy, Nigerians are subjected to crushing economic hardship because the APC administration has failed in its fundamental duty of ensuring the territorial integrity of our nation,” Ologunagba said.
He stressed that the stampedes recorded during palliative distribution across states showed that the nation is in perilous times under the APC.
“The PDP holds that there is no hope in sight under the APC given its failure to embark on meaningful investments in critical sectors, including agriculture and food production, electricity, petroleum and gas, and small and medium-scale enterprises, which are the real drivers of the national economy,” the PDP chieftain said.
Ologunagba asserted that President Tinubu’s claim regarding the safety of road travel for Nigerians, despite the ongoing kidnappings on highways, is inaccurate.
The spokesperson for the PDP urged the president to undertake a journey from Abuja to Lagos by road, explore local markets, or stroll through the streets to gain a genuine understanding of the current circumstances in the country rather than depending on misleading statistics circulated by government officials.