Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the country is grinding to a halt under President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, yesterday, claimed hasty implementation of government policies were threatening the peace, unity and corporate existence of the country.
The opposition party stated that lack of ingenuity and sensitivity to the plight of Nigerians in removal of fuel subsidy and floating of the Naira have escalated poverty, insecurity and a sense of hopelessness across the country. It expressed concerns that the state of despondency, if not urgently addressed, could deteriorate into a major crisis.
“The party laments that Nigeria is at the edge of the precipice under the Tinubu-led APC hold which lacks the acceptability and followership of citizens; a situation that has created an atmosphere and feeling of absence of governance in the country. Our party is alarmed that there is a serious disconnect between the government and the citizens arising from ill-planned and hasty implementation of policies that have brought excruciating hardship, horrifying insecurity and a general sense of apprehension that is already threatening the peace, unity and corporate existence of our nation.
“The administration’s lack of ingenuity, tact and sensitivity towards the wellbeing of Nigerians in the removal of subsidy and floating of the Naira inflamed unbearable high cost of living, crippled our national productivity, crashed millions of businesses and sparked massive job loss with attendant escalated poverty, hunger, insecurity and hopelessness across the country, “ it stated.
The PDP added that “the situation has snowballed into a dangerous loss of investors’ confidence with international companies exiting our nation and leaving millions of Nigerians stranded in the labour market with crippling effects on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) which are the real drivers of our national economy.
“It is horrifying that in the last two months, over 150 million Nigerians can no longer afford their daily meals with families now going to bed on empty stomachs.
“It is appalling that the APC government continues to tout their fraud-prone palliative program of a miserable average 1,200 bags of rice to Nigerians in each State of the country. The APC has expanded its capacity to deceive and defraud Nigerians through phony programmes; a situation that has heightened frustration across the country.”
Furthermore, the party noted that it was distressing that the Federal Government had “turned a blind eye to the plight of Nigerians with no concrete commitment towards the safety of lives of our citizens despite the killing of over 500 Nigerians in Plateau, Benue, Niger, Kaduna and other States of the federation, with many more abducted since May 29, 2023.
“The failure of the APC government to decisively act since the abduction of eight corps members who were on their way to Sokoto State for their one-year mandatory national service is another ugly testament of the APC government insensitivity towards the security, safety and wellbeing of citizens.
“More disturbing is the recent downing of a Nigerian military aircraft with attendant loss of lives of our brave and gallant military personnel without corresponding reassuring statement from the APC government.
“Instead of protecting Nigerians, the APC government is desperate to plunge our nation into a needless war in the Niger Republic over a conflict in that nation that does not constitute any threat whatsoever to our national interest.” make them accountable.”