Politics
Reject FG’s Anti-People Policies, HURIWA Tells Nigerians
Prominent civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has called on Nigerians to rise up and reject the evil policies of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration or be enslaved forever.
The group premised the call on “the rash of anti-people actions of the current administration, exemplified in the hike in petrol and electricity tariff at a time Nigerians are battling with the economic hardship occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic, and the frightening insecurity with almost the entire North-East and North-West under continuous terror attacks by armed Fulani herdsmen and the so called armed bandits who are nothing but terrorists.”
A statement signed by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko; and the Director, National Media Affairs, Miss. Zainab Yusuf; yesterday, noted that, “It is unjustifiably distressing that the APC administration would increase the cost of essential commodities at a time the leadership of other countries are offering palliatives to their citizens to cushion the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
According to HURIWA, “It is instructive to add that our nation is doomed under the APC watch. This is because, while other nations, even capitalist nations such as France, US and UK are supporting businesses in the face of the prolonged lockdown caused by the global pandemic of Covid-19, in Nigeria the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management did nothing but to rob poor Nigerians of the billions of Naira budgeted as palliatives and as we write there are widespread discontent and mass anger against the ministry for lying that it undertook distribution of palliatives whereas Nigerians are aware that corruption and theft of public fund are the order of the day in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management.
“We are by this statement demanding to know the rationale for these insensitive, irrational and inhumane economic wars against Nigerians who are already facing mass hunger, mass unemployment and mass killings?
“We also challenge the Federal Government to publish details of its oil subsidy regime, including the involvement and interest of political leaders close to the corridor of power. Has subsidy actually been removed? If so, do we still have it in budget? If we have deregulated, how come the situation and what is the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) doing to control price? Is the government collecting tax from citizens on every litre of petrol sold? Nigerians need to know. Why are the refineries not working despite the colossal amount quoted as been used for turnaround maintenance?, the group stated.
The statement also said: “Furthermore, we demand to know what exactly President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda in the face of the collapse of the economy and security is. Our fear is that the Buhari government is pushing Nigerians to the wall with its obnoxious and anti-people penchants and we caution that nobody should misinterpret the peaceful and law-abiding nature of Nigerians as a sign of weakness.
“Therefore, we call for the cancellation of the evil and inhumane hike in the rate of pump price of petrol and electricity as it is a travesty and would have a knock-on effect on millions of poor Nigerians who will struggle to meet the increased costs of transportation and basic goods. The development will eventually lead to increase in prices of goods produced by manufacturers, which will automatically result to increase in inflation. We join voices with other stakeholders to urge the National Assembly to save the nation by calling the Executives to order before the nation plunges into chaos.”
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.
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