Bauchi State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, Senator Bala Mohammed, has condemned the federal government’s monetary and fiscal policies.
Speaking at the launch of the Nigeria Development Update in Abuja, the governor declared the policies as ineffective.
He urged the government to rethink its approach, warning of growing hardship and a volatile situation.
“When the reforms started, the sub-nationals supported the President. But now, the macroeconomic policies causing inflation need to be reconsidered. There is hunger, people are suffering, and Nigerians are not benefitting from these reforms.”
Mohammed said ordinary Nigerians are struggling to survive, with hunger and economic hardship reaching a boiling point. According to him, even state governors face the threat of being lynched by frustrated citizens.
He said, “What are you doing to reduce hunger? We must help the people cope.”.
“The purchasing power of the people has drastically diminished. My brother Cardoso, these policies are not working. They need to be reviewed. Let’s not resort to blackmail.”
He added, “What about power? The tariffs are so high that people cannot afford to pay. We are on the brink of being lynched. These policies are not working. We must review them.”
The economic policies of the present federal government have led to an increase in the prices of commodities. One such important commodity, petrol, has risen from about N200 to around N1,000 since the ascension of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president in May 2023.