On Sunday, the Federal Government issued a sharp rebuttal to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors’ call for President Bola Tinubu to step down if he lacked solutions to the nation’s numerous challenges.
Questioning the PDP’s track record, Minister Mohammed Idris of Information and National Orientation wondered aloud why the party didn’t succeed in transforming the nation during its extensive time in government. He labeled the PDP governors’ resignation demand as a mere distraction.
Last week, the PDP governors, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, likened Nigeria’s trajectory under Tinubu to that of Venezuela.
Under the leadership of Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, the PDP governors asserted last week that Nigeria, under Tinubu, was mirroring the path of Venezuela.
In their statement on Saturday, the PDP governors recommended that Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress resign if they were unable to provide long-term solutions to the nation’s problems.
In a statement released on Sunday and signed by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim, the Minister of Information and National Orientation swiftly countered the PDP governors’ remarks.
He said, ‘It is our considered view that the PDP and its governors should not be seeking, through the back door of intimidation, what they have consistently failed to achieve by democratic means, since 2015.’
‘Those who could not bring transformational change when they had a lengthy chance to, should not seek to interrupt or distract those who are busy at work on the presidential vision that Nigerians elected them to implement.’
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Explaining what the present administration was currently working on, the minister explained, ‘The administration of President Bola Tinubu has, since inception, generously extended financial support to all the state governments, regardless of partisan affiliation.
In addition, the removal of the petrol subsidy —which, incidentally, was one of the main planks of the PDP presidential campaign—has swelled the revenues of all states, including the PDP states. To whom more has been given, more is therefore expected.’
‘The President and his administration recognise the unfinished business of revamping our national economy kickstarted by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, through programmes focused on large-scale infrastructure, social welfare, prioritising the equipping and welfare of the military and security agencies, and reclaiming Nigeria’s strategic place in the comity of nations.’
‘Boko Haram and its affiliates, on the ascendancy in 2014/2015, have since been decimated, and similar bold gains are now being made with bandits and other criminals.’
‘Nigerians have not forgotten that it was the APC administration that cleared several liabilities left behind by the PDP government, such as subsidy claims by oil marketers, Paris Club refunds, unpaid pensions, gratuities, and salary arrears owed various categories of pensioners from liquidated and existing state-owned enterprises.’
Idris emphasized that Tinubu is well-equipped to tackle the current challenges facing the nation head-on.
‘He will not abdicate his responsibilities. He will courageously continue to wrestle with the challenges and surmount them, laying a durable foundation for the new Nigeria that is emerging,’ the minister.