Nigerians most miserable people in Africa in Africa- Gana

*Says corruption under Buhari has made PDP govt an angel
*As Kogi PDP stakeholders plot victory ahead of 2023

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

Former minister of Information and National Orientation, Prof Jerry Gana while lamenting the distress in the various economic indices under the President Muhammadu Buhari – led administration concluded that Nigerians have been made most miserable people in Africa.

He bemoaned the caving in of the nation’s economy under heavy burden of over N12.7 trillion foreign and domestic debts which he said has automatically turn every Nigerian into debtor with coming generations already sold into debt.

Gana, a founding father of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated this at the weekend during his presentation at a Critical Stakeholders’ Retreat organised by the Kogi PDP Renaissance Group, held at the Grand Ibro Hotel, Abuja.

The theme of the retreat is , “Kogi PDP: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.”

Going down memory lane, Gana said unequivocally that no government has worsened the socio- economic, political and security of Nigeria than the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration under President Buhari.

He said, “The Misery Index in Nigeria is the worst in Africa. We are the most miserable people in the continent. The level of indebtedness in the past few years is such that every Nigerian is now in debt. Our children are in debt, our grand children are also in debt.

“The Naira is perhaps one of the most useless currencies in Africa today. I have never seen this level of corruption as we have today. In fact, the level of corruption makes the PDP governments look like angels because corruption is now a thousand times worse.”

Evaluating the worsening security situation across parts of the country particularly the north where the twin scourge of banditry and kidnapping are the order of the day, Gana asked Nigerians to reflect on the recent call for self defence against bandits by no other person but Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State, the home state of President Buhari.

He said “Governor Maisari was advocating recently that everyone in Katsina State should get a gun. Do you know where Katsina is? Do you know who comes from Katsina?”.

The party chieftain therefore called on leaders of the PDP to rise up to the challenge of rescuing the country from the misrule by the APC at national and state levels in 2023.

“The PDP at the national level is the only hope of Nigerians to rescue and reposition the country”, he said.

For the PDP yo coast home to victory in 2023, Gana highlighted a number of factors which include; strategy, organization, grassroots presence, free, fair, credible primaries, justice, equity and fairness as well as resources and logistics.

In the same vein, he pleaded with stakeholders in Kogi PDP to be united in the onerous task of regaining the state in the next governorship election and to vote massively for the party in 2023.

“You have the best chance to take over power in Kogi. Kogi is very central because every part of Nigeria passes through Kogi. Whoever is ruling Kogi cannot lie because if you are doing something, people will see it and know. If you are not doing anything, the people will know. We have the people and the resources, so Kogi has no excuse not to excel”, he charged.

In his remark, Chairman, National Reconciliation Committee of the PDP, Dr. Bukola Saraki said the retreat is an attestation to the fact that PDP in Kogi State is ready to put its house in order .

The former Senate President said “Kogi has witnessed change in fortune since 2015 but I am happy because today’s meeting sends a strong message to the PDP family throughout the country. We must not forget that our party, the PDP is the landlord in Kogi that was robbed of victory in the past elections.

“So, we must set aside our differences in the interest of the party,” he said, stressing that if not united, same fate could befall the PDP in subsequent elections.

The chairman, Kogi PDP Renaissance Group, Hon, David Ina Ogu, described the body as “ a Consultative initiative of concerned PDP members made up of loyal and committed party members who share mutual concerns for the party,” adding that its core objectives are “to partner with the state executive committee of the party to build synergy that will reinvigorate the party, mobilize and sensitize the teeming grassroots support base in preparations for the task of reclaiming the state in 2023.”

Party leaders at the meeting include; former governor of the state, Ibrahim Idris and chairman of the PDP in Kogi state, Engr. Sam Uhuotu.