The Federal Government has urged governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to clarify whether the increased allocations were utilized to benefit the people. This comes amidst claims by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that the nation’s economy remains robust.
In a statement, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information & National Orientation, reaffirmed the government’s capability to meet financial obligations while maintaining a healthy trade balance globally. This response follows the PDP governors’ call for the federal government to address the country’s deepening economic hardships.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, emphasized the urgency for a bipartisan initiative to resolve the economic and security crises. In response, Idris welcomed the call for a bipartisan approach but criticized the PDP governors for misrepresenting the country’s economic situation.
The statement emphasized the strong state of the Nigerian economy and urged PDP governors to be transparent about their utilization of increased revenue. It pointed out that several PDP-controlled states have unpaid salaries, pension arrears, and have not implemented the minimum wage, contributing to economic pressure on their citizens.
The government further called on PDP governors to fulfill their obligations to workers, pensioners, and local contractors to improve the citizens’ living conditions. Additionally, it highlighted the need for PDP-governed states to focus on increasing food production to combat rising costs of living and food.
This confrontation underscores the growing tension between the APC-led federal government and PDP governors, revealing deep-seated economic and political challenges that continue to impact Nigeria’s citizens.
