TheCable

The board of trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the economic hardship in the country has plunged Nigerians into a state of hopelessness, despair, and frustration.

In a communique issued on Tuesday after its meeting in Abuja, the PDP BoT expressed concerns over the frequent fall of the naira and the fluctuations in the price of petrol in some parts of the country.

“The BoT expresses deep concerns over the biting economic hardship, high cost of essential life-enhancing commodities and alarming food scarcity in the country occasioned by the ill-implemented policies of the APC administration and which are already causing restiveness and agitations in various parts of the country,” the communique reads.

“The BoT is alarmed by the worsening insecurity in the country as evident in the rising cases of mass killings, banditry, kidnap for ransom and acts of terrorism by assailants who are emboldened by the manifest laidback attitude of the APC administration to issues of security, especially in the last nine months.

“The BoT is appalled by the monumental corruption and unbridled treasury-looting in the APC administration especially the looting of billions of Naira meant for palliatives for poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

“These have attendant negative consequences as evident in the nearly 30% inflation rate, 41% unemployment rate and alarming 46% poverty rate where up to 130 million citizens have sunk deeper into multi-dimensional poverty in the last nine months.”

The party opposition said the “catastrophic economic and security situation in the country has left Nigerians hopeless, despondent, angry and constitute a present and immediate threat to the survival of the country as hardworking young Nigerians, professionals in critical fields as well as major multinational companies are now leaving our nation in droves”.

The PDP said there is “no concrete and coherent policy, measures and steps by the APC administration to address these existential threats which have put the country in a precarious situation”.

The party said the “situation in the country has become unbearable”.

“Mr President should immediately address the issues of corruption in his administration, worsening insecurity in the country, continuous fall in the value of the Naira, high fuel price, unbearable food scarcity and unemployment in the country,” the PDP BoT said.

The BoT also confirmed the appointment of Adolphus Wabara as its chairman, and Ahmed Makarfi as secretary.