• As opposition party opens ‘fact sheet’ on prices of foodstuff, fuel, others
Almost eight years into the All Progressives Congress-led government, the party, yesterday, continued its finger pointing at the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing it of battering the nation’s economy.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who spoke on the administration’s achievements at a press conference, also scolded PDP for attempting to overheat the polity in its desperation to return to power.
But reacting in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, PDP dismissed the press conference as another anthology of lies, false and bogus performance claims by “the failed and rudderless APC administration.”
Mohammed said: “We are not under any illusion that they will stop their misrepresentation. No, because in their desperation to return to complete their demolition work on Nigeria, these folks will stop at nothing to paint us bad.
“But the good news is that Nigerians remain traumatised by their 16-year misrule, and will not return to ‘Egypt’ by allowing the ‘demolition gang’ back to office. In the meantime, let them present their 16-year stewardship in all the areas we have listed above and let Nigerians judge.”
The minister insisted his party should not be held responsible for the nation’s economic challenges. According to him, such indices are global trends and are not peculiar to Nigeria.
“What we are saying is that this increase is a global trend, and it is not limited to any country. Therefore, presenting it as a Nigerian problem is mischievous, disingenuous and a clear act of misinformation. Let me add that the crippling fuel shortage experienced across the country in recent times has started easing, as measures put in place by the government begin to work,” he said.
The minister added: “We have consistently showcased the massive achievements of this administration in all sectors, even as we admit the challenges we face and work hard to ameliorate things. But against the resort to lies and misinformation by the opposition, it is absolutely necessary for us to dispel their misrepresentation of facts and put things in perspective, which is what we have done today.”
BUT PDP said: “The APC administration attempted to downplay and treat with levity, the excruciating economic hardship, hunger and other life discounting experiences being faced by Nigerians daily because of severe food crisis, lingering fuel emergency, high cost of essential commodities and services, closure of schools, insecurity and mass killing, collapse of healthcare system and decayed public infrastructure under its watch.”
“A bag of rice, which sold for N7,500 under the PDP, now sells for over N30,000; a measure of bean, which sold for N350 under the PDP, now sells for over N1000; a measure of garri, which sold for N120 under the PDP, now sells for N700; a bottle of palm oil, which sold for N250 under the PDP, now sells for over N1000.
“In the same vein, a kilo of meat, which sold for N700 under the PDP, now sells for N3000; a litre of petrol, which sold for N87 under the PDP, now sells for as high as N400 to N500, while a litre of diesel, which sold for N110 under the PDP, now sells for over N800, yet Lai Mohammed provocatively claims that Nigerians are better off under the APC.”
