TheCable

Phrank Shaibu, special assistant on public communication to Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) has shut its eyes to the worsening poverty among Nigerians.

Reacting to a statement credited to Festus Keyamo, spokesperson of the APC presidential campaign council, that Nigerians are “hungry” and they are not bothered about the same religion ticket, Shaibu said it shows the ruling party has frittered away the goodwill of Nigerians owing to “gross incompetence and waffling leadership”.

In a statement on Tuesday, Shaibu noted that Keyamo’s statement indicates that the APC has nothing to offer the citizens.

”A party who asked Nigerians to dream again has succeeded in turning their dreams into nightmares simply because of their incompetence. Nigerians are worse off today than they were when the APC took over on May 29th 2015, and the country under the president’s watch has become more divided today than at any other time since the civil war of 1967 to 1970,” Shaibu said.

“According to the NBS, the poverty headcount has jumped from 40.1 % in 2018/2019 to 42.0% in 2020 and 42.6% in 2022, translating to 95.1 million Nigerians living in poverty, despite a 3.54% gross domestic product GDP) growth in the country’s economy.

”I have consistently maintained that economic growth in itself is meaningless if it does not translate to better life for millions of our citizens living in poverty. I hate to say it, but the records of the Buhari’s administration’s agency, the NBS has proven that this is true.

“As at the last count, over 35,000 Nigerians have been sent to their early graves by the rampaging Boko Haram and so-called bandits, as the APC administration flip-flops on the right approach to end the crisis.

“Add this to the continuing cases of kidnapping for ransom and other violent crimes across the country, and one begins to wonder whether Nigeria is on the road to Somalia, or if indeed Buhari has abandoned his duty post.”

Shaibu further stated that Nigerians had since lost hope concerning APC’s ability to ensure the security of life and property in the country.