TheCable

Garba Shehu, presidential spokesperson, says the high cost of living in Nigeria is not peculiar to the county alone.

Speaking on Friday in an interview with Channels Television, Shehu said the high cost of living is a global issue.

Shehu said the economic situation in the country would have worsened if the Buhari-led administration did not address the deficit in infrastructure after assuming office in 2015.

Asked why 133 million Nigerians are multidimensionally poor despite what he claimed the administration has done, Shehu said the global economy has suffered a lot of setbacks in the past few years.

“Cost of living crisis is a global phenomenon,” he added.

“Nigerians need to just look beyond our shores and see how national economies are going into dissolution and liquidation.

“See what is happening in Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, and even in Europe. Therefore, there is a global crisis that has afflicted the entire global economy.”

Earlier, President Muhammadu Buhari asked for forgiveness from Nigerians if he has in any way hurt them.

“All those that I have hurt, I ask that they pardon me,” Buhari said on the occasion that marks his final outing as president on the Eid-el-Fitr day before handing over on May 29.

Asked during the interview whether Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, was included among those who Buhari was seeking forgiveness from, Shehu said the president does not hold “grudges” against individuals.

Shehu said there was no “specific admission of wrongdoing” in Buhari’s plea for forgiveness.

“The president of Nigeria does not harbour ill will toward anyone. This is clearly demonstrated over the years by his actions,” he said.

“As we speak today, there is no politician in detention for things they have said against President Muhammadu Buhari.

“There is no journalist in detention for things they have written against President Buhari. He does not personally hold grudges against individuals.”