The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), and the Labour Party (LP) have all condemned the performance of President Bola Tinubu after 100 days in office.
The opposition parties stated that the Tinubu-led federal government has not met the expectations of Nigerians and never inherited a battered economy.
Remember, the federal government announced early Tuesday that Tinubu inherited a sluggish economy, but within 100 days of taking office, he changed the narrative.
The FG had described the abolished fuel subsidy as “A Sword of Damocles that hung over Nigeria for decades” while saying the President laid the groundwork for national transformation despite the challenges.
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The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris affirmed in a statement titled, “President Tinubu’s 100 days of steady progress and national rejuvenation.”
It read:
“This period may be challenging, but the President has planted the seeds of national transformation, growth, and all-round development. Our appeal to Nigerians and the labour unions are to continue to support the government and show more understanding. We must continue to work hard and confidently press forward to the glory of a greater Nigeria.
“Since May 29, President Tinubu has been at his duty post, working assiduously to deliver on his campaign promises as enunciated in his Renewed Hope Agenda for a better and
greater Nigeria.
“The President began the journey to rebuild our battered economy, realising that our country was in a difficult situation with our public debts – both local and foreign – coupled with an unsustainable fuel subsidy regime that created, for several decades, a galling hole in our public finance, rendering the three tiers of government insolvent and incapable of meeting the needs of the citizens.
“President Tinubu took a bold and courageous decision to remove the fuel subsidy to avert a national economic catastrophe of epic proportions. Fuel subsidy was a Sword of Damocles that hung over Nigeria for decades. It stunted growth and set the country a-borrowing.
“In addition to subsidy removal, President Tinubu took further steps to unify the multiple foreign exchange markets. While these two vital steps to save the country from hitting the rocks brought momentary discomfort to Nigerians, President Tinubu has never failed in his appeal to Nigerians to see the current inconveniences as a price we must all pay to save our country from disappearing.
“Considering the people’s pains, the government rolled out intervention programmes to help cushion the unintended negative impacts of the reforms. These interventions include working out a minimum wage and salary increase, supporting states and local governments to enable them to cater to the most vulnerable among us, and providing fertilisers to farmers, grains to households, and cash transfers to people with low incomes. In addition to these, there are plans to roll out over 11,000 CNG buses for affordable public transportation among others.
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“While striving to reduce the impact of the high cost of living for the citizens, President Tinubu has focused on redirecting our economy and removing the impediments to productivity and competitiveness so that the real sector can grow and create millions of decent jobs that are essential for long-term economic growth.”
On the contrary, Timothy Ossador, Deputy Youth Leader of the PDP criticized the comments by the Information and Finance Minister on the economic situation while speaking with the Punch.
Remember Finance Minister, Wale Edun had said that President Tinubu inherited a struggling economy, adding that the last time the country saw economic growth was during the presidency of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
PDP said:
“President Tinubu should bury his head in shame. He was the national leader of the All Progressives Congress that brought about the presidency of Muhammadu Buhari which turned out to be a monumental failure.
“Like Buhari, Tinubu has started cluelessly, subjecting millions of Nigerians to untold hardship. They have sent Edun to make excuses for them but Nigerians should be aware that the man who asked them to blame him if Buhari failed is already out to tell them that he has nothing to offer.
“He campaigned for Buhari twice and today he is telling us that his predecessor handed him a battered economy. This is a shameful admission but Nigerians are not fooled.
“If Edun does not know what to do, he can as well resign his appointment. Nigerians are tired of excuses from leaders who promised heaven on earth but are already overwhelmed by the task of governance.”
In an interview with the publication, the National Auditor of the NNPP, Barrister Ladipo Johnson refuted the APC-led FG’s claim that it inherited a sluggish economy.
Johnson maintained that the APC failed to carry on the legacy of a struggling economy, as such, the party should stop making unacceptable excuses.
According to him, what Nigerians wanted to hear was a solution that will bring stability to the economy in the medium to long term, and that the dual policy of releasing naira when fuel subsidies end was causing immediate difficulties for ordinary people.
He said:
“We wish them well for the sake of the country and the people.”
In response, LP National Legal Adviser, Kehinde Edun argued that Tinubu had made a “brave and bold decision” to end controversial fuel subsidies to avert a national crisis.
Also responding to Mohammed’s statement Tuesday titled” President Tinubu’s 100 days of steady progress and national rejuvenation,” the LP chief said there was nothing brave about the president’s decision.
He criticized the statement that Tinubu inherited a battered economy but had courageously changed the narrative in his first 100 days in office.
He said:
“What is courageous in the harsh decision he took that is bringing pain to Nigerians all over the country? And it appears like they were prepared for it. Obviously, it wasn’t a well-thought-out decision. It was taken in a rush and, of course, they were at a loss when they realised their mistake. Nigerians can now see they were not even prepared for the fallout or consequence of that action. They simply cannot defend it.
“What the minister was saying is sheer sycophancy. Which courageous step? They are just playing to the gallery. All they have done so far is only pain and no gain. How often do we even take the office of the minister of information seriously in this country? What they must have been noted for is just propaganda.”
