Recession: APC blasts PDP

.Says,’Opposition party lacks moral basis to condemn Buhari’

.Blames former ruling party for leaving economic mess behind

.Assures that PMB will resuscitate economy soonest

.PDP berates Finance minister over tweet, accuses her of insensitivity to masses’ plight

.Adeosun disowns tweet

.President begs Nigerians to be patient, says pains would soon give way to development

The All Progressives Congress (APC), on Thursday, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lacked the moral basis and credibility to comment or condemn the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s handling of the economy after the mess it (PDP) left behind.

The APC stated this in a statement by its National Secretary, Hon. Mai Mala Buni.

The APC statement came on the heel of the Wednesday’s call by the opposition party on Buhari to resign over his failure to reverse the nation’s economic misfortune more than a year after he was sworn in.

The PDP noted that the recent Gross Domestic Products (GDP), Inflation and Unemployment figures released by National Bureau of Statistics ‎(NBS) clearly indicated that President Buhari has displayed absolute ineptitude and incompetence ‎in managing the nation’s affairs.

But the APC, in the statement said that instead of condemning President Buhari, the PDP should apologise to Nigerians.

The party assured Nigerians that the President Buhari APC-led administration is solidly committed to resuscitating the economy in the quickest possible time and in the best interest of the people.

The APC described the statement by the PDP as the latest in its insensitive plot to deflect attention from the voodoo economics and reckless fiscal policies the country was subjected to during its 16-year rule.

The statement by Hon. Mala Buni reads in part: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) assures Nigerians that the President Muhammadu Buhari APC-led administration remains solidly committed to resuscitating the economy in the quickest possible time and in the best interest of the people.

“The statement by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday is the latest in the party’s insensitive plot to deflect attention from the voodoo economics and reckless fiscal policies the country was subjected to during its 16-year rule.

“For the umpteenth time, the PDP lacks the moral basis and credibility to comment or condemn the government on the economy after the mess it left behind. Instead, the PDP must apologise to Nigerians.

“The warning signs were glaring to the immediate-past administration but it chose the path of economic sabotage by looking the other way and squandering the country’s commonwealth – a reckless decision that has brought the country to its knees.

“Nigerians will recall that even the immediate-past finance minister and coordinating minister of the economy, confessed that the zero political will to save under the immediate-past administration is responsible for the challenges facing the country.

“Happily, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has embarked on well- thought economic agendas, policy actions, appropriate fiscal, governance, and socio-political reforms to revamp the economy and tackle the nation’s current challenges in the short to long term.

“Under the new flexible foreign exchange policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in June 2016, we now have a single market-determined exchange rate which enables suppliers of foreign currencies to bring in their money and take the same out at market-determined rates. The new foreign exchange policy being implemented will ensure our economy recovers in the medium to long term.

“As contained in the assented 2016 National Budget, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is aggressively formulating and implementing policies aimed at diversifying Nigeria’s economy from oil to other sectors such as agriculture, mining and manufacturing.

“The administration is also proactively tackling increased attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta region which has led to disruptions in crude production.

“The President’s shuttle diplomacy has yielded positive effects on the country’s economic policies.

“As a result, several agreements concluded during the visits are positively impacting on key sectors of the Nigerian economy including power, solid minerals, agriculture, housing and rail transportation.

“The fight against corruption remains a top priority for the President Buhari APC-led administration. In spite of desperate attempts by some partisans to discredit anti-corruption efforts in some quarters, the war against corruption is being won and has been well-received and supported.

Meanwhile, the PDP, on Thursday, accused the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, of insensitivity to the suffering masses who are the victims of the recession.

The PDP pointedly declared that the tweet by the Minister on the economic recession in the country was the height of insensitivity of a government to the plight of people it was elected to serve.

Mrs. Adeosun had, in the wake of the statement by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that the Nigerian economy is in recession, posted on her Twitter handle: “The strongest of all warriors are these two – Time and Patience. I know people are concerned about Recession. Recession is a word…”

However, the opposition PDP in a statement on Thursday by its Director, New Media‎, Mr. Deji Adeyanju, thumbed down the Minister of Finance, accusing her of insensitivity to the suffering masses who are the real victims of the recession.

The PDP declared that it is all the more shocking that the Minister’s comment came on the day when National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released a report stating that 4,580,602 have lost their jobs since May 29, 2015

The statement by Adeyanju said, “Contrary to her (Adeosun’s) belief, ‘recession’ is not just a word. It’s a horrible reality for millions of Nigerians who face increasing difficulty in putting food on the table and meeting basic everyday financial obligations.

“It’s all the more shocking that her comment was made on the day when Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released a report stating that 4,580,602 have lost their jobs since May 29, 2015”, it said.

Mrs. Adeosun’s comments, the party said, ran against the reality of the rising food costs, parents withdrawing their children from schools due to fee increments, rising transportation costs, rents and other everyday expenditure.

Continuing, the statement said, “Her (the Minister’s) comments are an insult to the suffering Nigerians and make mockery of the pain we bear as a result of the sheer incompetence and lack of ability of the Muhammadu Buhari administration of which she is an integral part.

“While 4,580,602 may seem like a statistic, these are real people with real responsibilities”, the PDP maintained.

The opposition party has consequently called on the Minister to apologise to Nigerians for her insensitive comments.

The PDP further advised her to “stop speaking like a motivational speaker and act like the Minister of Finance that she is.”

The party vowed to take on the Minister over her statement about fiscal discipline which it said, “makes no sense in the face of available data.”

However, Mrs. Adeosun, on Thursday, denied tweeting “recession is just a word”.

Her Special Assistant (Media), Mr. Festus Akanbi, in a statement in Abuja, said that the minister did not own a twitter account, therefore the said tweet was not from her.

He said: “The attention of the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has been drawn to a fake Twitter handle in her name saying that ‘recession is just a word.’

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Honourable Minister does not own a Twitter account. The Twitter handle currently trending, and any other twitter handle presently in existence is not, and cannot be that of the Honourable Minister, as a twitter account has not yet been set up for her. It is obviously fake and does not represent the views and opinions of the Honourable Minister.‎

“Also at no time did the Honourable Minister, who addressed the media immediately after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council, make such a statement.

“The Minister has consistently demonstrated empathy for the plight of Nigerians hard hit by dwindling oil prices and the impact on the economy”.

Also on Thursday, President Buhari pleaded with Nigerians to be patient with his administration while assuring that the pains they are currently going through will soon give way to development.

Buhari, who said ‘change’ was aimed at restoring the nation on the path of integrity and prosperity, made the plea in Osogbo at the inauguration of the Osogbo Government High School built by the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

The President urged Nigerians to be patient and persevere while promising that pains would soon give way to development. He said his administration was working hard to avoid the mistakes of the last administration in tackling insecurity and corruption and to revamp the economy which was badly affected by the drop in the price of oil.

Buhari said:”We promised Nigerian people positive and progressive change during our campaign. We are not and shall not be deterred from that noble undertaking. But as we have learnt from history, change has never been attained by any nation on a bed of roses, but rather, through patience, perseverance and steadfastness.

“We are quite aware of the pains and inconveniences that have been the lot of the citizenry in the past one year as we strive to faithfully implement our programmes in fulfillment of our change agenda. We are however comforted by the real change and progress we have made in fighting corruption and restoring integrity to government; providing security for lives and property; and positioning the government for effectiveness and especially deregulating the oil sector.

“We must also not forget the fiscal discipline that has now characterised government business at all levels. This indeed is how it should be and we are determined to introduce and implement actions and measures that will entrench the change mantra in our individual lives just as we are doing in curtailing excessive waste and rent seeking in governance.

“We are determined to remain on track as we strive to deliver to rescue the country from past mistakes in fulfillment of our promise of improving the conditions of our people and making Nigeria a prosperous country.”