The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, described President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, not to release forex for the purpose of food importation as a move by the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress to punished and further impoverish Nigerians.
The PDP said the directive would worsen food scarcity, exacerbate the already harsh economic situation and the general depression, frustration, resentment and despair in the country under President Buhari’s watch.”
In a statement issued by party’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, Thursday, the PDP said rather than formulating and implementing policies to make life suitable for Nigerians, the APC-led government was taking pleasure in inflicting more pains on its citizens.
The statement read: “It is, indeed, appalling that instead of bringing solutions to the depreciating living conditions in our nation, President Buhari is rather imposing more suffering by ordering the removal of subsidy on food, even when it is manifestly clear that he had failed on all fronts to achieve any level of food security, despite the huge resources available to his administration.
“The Buhari-led Presidency and the APC have, by this policy, again demonstrated their insensitivity towards millions of Nigerians who are already suffering from acute hunger and starvation due to severe food shortage and high prices brought by President Buhari’s misrule.
“The PDP states strongly that Nigerians do not, in any way, deserve such suffering being foisted on them by such directive on food.
‘Such situation will only breed further despondency among our citizens, heighten our security challenges and put more pressure on compatriots, many of whom, in the face of suffering occasioned by APC misrule, are resorting to suicide and slavery mission as options.”
The party counselled that instead of removing subsidy on food and putting more suffering on Nigerians, President Buhari should cut the billions of naira being wasted on luxuries in his Presidency and free the funds for the welfare of the masses.
“Furthermore, the PDP urges President Buhari to recover the over N14 trillion siphoned by APC interests under his administration, including the stolen N9 trillion detailed in the leaked NNPC memo and channel the resources towards food security for Nigerians.
“The PDP states that it is a complete disservice to Nigerians for the government to place restrictive directives on food for the masses, while interests condoned by the same administration are frittering away our common patrimony.
“The PDP wants to believe that while Mr. President enjoys the comfort, luxury, sufficiency and safety of Government House, he is barely aware of the sufferings of Nigerians.”
