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•You’re misleading Tinubu, encouraging president’s bad policies, he says
• Insists Buhari didn’t create problems for his successor
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Former National Vice Chairman North-West of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Moh Lukman, had described as uncharitable and dishonest, those engaging in familiar blame games, attributing the consequences of the current government policies to the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Lukman, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Friday, noted that such attribution which came from President Bola Tinubu and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole among other party chieftains was uncomplimentary of the leaders.
Only recently, Oshiomhole had attributed current hardship Nigerians are experiencing to “reckless policies” of former President Buhari. Before now, Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, and National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, made similar comments to the effect that ‘President Tinubu inherited an administration that was almost comatose’ and ‘a bankrupt country’.
Reacting to the claims, Lukman expressed shock that both President Tinubu and Oshiomhole that fought and resisted bad government policies, could also unfortunately support and implement policies that have impoverished citizens. He emphasised that though the government of former President Buhari did not measure up to the expectations of party members and Nigerians generally, the ruling party must, however, take responsibility of the truth that the success or failure of former President Buhari’s government represent the collective success or failure of APC as a party.
He wrote; “Sadly, here we are in APC, with leaders who have in the past given Nigerians the needed leadership, including Asiwaju Tinubu and Comrade Oshiomhole, to resist bad policies, also unfortunately implementing policies that have impoverished citizens.
“And instead of ruling with humility, and review policies when there is public outcry, they are grandstanding and giving excuses. They engage in the familiar blame games, attributing the consequences of government policies to the administration of former president Buhari. This is very uncharitable and dishonest, with due respect to our leaders,” he noted in the statement. “All of us in the leadership of APC, including President Tinubu were complicit in one way or the other to all the circumstances that contributed to producing factors that made the administration of Buhari to have failed. Unfortunately, as things are, we are also strengthening the hands of President Tinubu to continue the path of failure.
“Just like we deluded former President Buhari into believing that every decision he took was right, our leaders are today misleading President Tinubu to believe that all his decisions are right. “Painfully, here we are, under President Tinubu, with a government whose initiatives are weak in addressing what is clearing emerging as existential crisis for citizens. During the short life span of the administration, value of incomes has been eroded and the downward slide is continuing almost in geometric scale.
“Our leaders, including Comrade Oshiomhole want us to believe that the problem is created by the administration of former President Buhari. If that is the case, why were they unable as party leaders to regulate the conduct of former President Buhari and prevent him from failing?
“Now that President Tinubu is in charge, what is being done to address this challenge and ensure that he does not suffer the fate of his predecessor?
Citing examples, Lukman wrote: “As medium-term recommendations, issues of refiring and restreaming all Nigerian refineries were proposed. In the long run, allowing private investors to set up refineries were proposed. All these were as far back as 2000. At the time President Tinubu took over in May 2023, we were told local refineries would resume local production in December 2023. Good enough, the Dangote Refinery had already been commissioned and was projected to commence supply of refined products to Nigerians in 2024. There is clear national consensus that government should remove subsidy.
“The big challenge is aligning the removal of subsidy to correspond to clear timelines when local production of refined products can be guaranteed. Once this is not done, the problems of arbitrarily increases in the prices of refined petroleum products based on cost of importation will be the reality.
“Compounded by the policy of floating exchange rate of the Naira, it is only natural given our dependence on importation, the value of our currency will be on the decline, which will add to the inflationary pressure on the economy. As things are, these are realities that are producing unbearable circumstances for citizens,” he stated.
