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The ruling All Progressives Congress has slammed the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, for blaming former President Muhammadu Buhari for the current economic challenges and hardship Nigerians are facing.
Mutfwang, who made the statement during Tuesday’s swearing-in of his special advisers and heads of agencies at the Government House in Jos, claimed the past administration has mortgaged the future of the economy.
Reacting in an exclusive chat, National Director of Publicity for the APC, Bala Ibrahim, frowned at Mutfwang’s utterances, saying it was obvious the Plateau governor was merely playing to the gallery and displaying some level of ignorance.
While exonerating Buhari from the current economic travail, Ibrahim stated those who know Buhari even as a military leader and former petroleum minister understand that he can’t do anything to jeopardise the economy.
He said, “I will say the governor is probably displaying his ignorance of macro and micro-economies. When you talk about mortgaging the country or selling oil upfront for the future, I think he needs to go and learn how oil is marketed at the Rotterdam market. There are countries that produce oil, sell for upward of 10 years and payments made upfront. It is normal in the oil business. It didn’t start with Buhari even such a thing happened during his administration.
“For his (Mutfwang) information, Buhari is very versed and experienced when it comes to oil marketing and economy having been minister of petroleum during the military regime. He has also been one head of state that built two refineries during his time. So he is very conversant with the economics of oil and anyone who knows Buhari will tell you he won’t do anything that will shortchange the country or put the future of Nigeria in jeopardy.
“On the issue of money printed, I believe that is being investigated by the National Assembly and I don’t want us to start pre-empting the outcome. The governor is just playing to the gallery. It is not something new but a normal statement expected from the mouth of the opposition. But in playing opposition, I always like people to play constructive and not destructive criticism.”
The leadership of the Labour Party did not however share the sentiment of the ruling APC.
Speaking with our reporter, the National Legal Adviser of LP, Kehinde Edun, expressed his disappointment over the manner successive APC-led governments keep blaming their predecessor.
Edun stated that it was obvious that embarking on a blame game could not resolve the perennial economic problems plaguing the country.
The legal practitioner also argued that it was not a panacea to the hunger and anger Nigerians are nursing against the federal government.
“When are we going to stop this blame game? Buhari spent eight years blaming (Goodluck) Jonathan for the woes of the country. Is Tinubu also planning to spend the four years of his administration blaming Buhari? The important thing is to do the best you can since you decided to take up the challenge. This blame game will not help matters. They keep saying I inherited a bad economy. All the governors have also joined the trend of saying they inherited a debt profile of certain amounts. Enough of these excuses!
“If you are doing what you are supposed to do, Nigerians will know. Our people are becoming more enlightened now. This current government is still struggling with waste and extravagant spending. In spite of the difficulties and hardship Nigerians are facing, they are not doing their best,” he stated.
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