Stop Playing to Gallery, FG Blasts Opposition Governors

•Insists nation’s economy remains strong 

•Says anomalies in states impacting hardship

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The federal government, yesterday, accused the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of playing to the gallery and failing to conduct themselves in a manner befitting their roles as leaders.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammad Idris, who fired the broadside at the PDP governors in a statement, however, insisted that the nation’s economy remained strong.

The riposte followed the stance taken by the governors during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, on the country’s economic and security situation, which the federal government considered to be a way over the top.

He conceded that the PDP governors as critical stakeholders and leaders at the sub-national level had the right to state their position on national concerns as expected.

He however, expressed regrets that as leaders in the country, who were members of two important constitutional organs of government – the National Economic Council, which was the highest economic management organ of the country, and the National Council of States – the PDP governors had not conducted themselves in a manner befitting their roles as leaders.

“It is far-fetched when PDP governors, who are supposed to be major players in driving economic growth and prosperity for our citizens in their respective states, mischievously and falsely compare our current economic challenges to Venezuela.

“We want to state categorically that though our country is going through some rough patches, which are being addressed by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our situation is nowhere near what is happening in Venezuela,” Idris said.

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

The minister insisted that the Nigerian economy remained robust and was expected to record a 3% GDP growth this year, adding the economy was meeting financial obligations to lenders at home and abroad.

He assured the people that the government was running effectively and could pay all its bills while maintaining a healthy trade balance with trading partners worldwide.

“Since President Tinubu assumed office, the revenue available to the three tiers of government has more than doubled. All 36 States, including the 774 Local Governments, have been receiving significantly larger allocations on the back of the reforms being pursued by President Tinubu to reposition our national economy.

“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,” Idris asserted.

He urged the PDP governors to meet their obligations to workers, pensioners, and local contractors and see the multiplier effect if they were genuinely interested in the living conditions of Nigerians and were not just stirring up disaffection and ill-will towards the federal government.

According to him, “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.

“PDP governors, in their communique yesterday, did not tell Nigerians how they are supporting farmers in their states to boost food production – a responsibility that is strictly within their purview. Instead, they shift all the blame to the federal government, while shirking their own responsibilities to the people they govern.”

He, however, assured the public that the All Progressives Congress-led administration of President Tinubu was working assiduously to address the current challenges, adding that the president was working with his security chiefs to eliminate all security threats wherever they exist within the national borders.

He said government was getting encouraging results in the number of terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers that had either been killed or arrested in the past few weeks.

The minister said success of the efforts was also reflected in the over 700 abducted Nigerians who had been rescued from captivity.

“The Central Bank is addressing the problem of volatility in the exchange rate, and we are beginning to see stability that will eventually lead to the naira gaining its actual value against the dollar and other convertible currencies.

“We urge the PDP governors to join their colleagues in the Nigerian Governors Forum, who are collaborating with President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima to revamp our economy for Nigerians’ collective well-being,” he concluded.