Joshua Omoloye, Abuja
The ruling All Progressives Congress mocked the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) for its inability to comprehend the performance of the nation’s economy under the APC administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the ruling party, reports on major economy performance indices by two separate institutions; National Bureau of Statistics, (NBS) and AU – NEPAD vilified every negative claim by the PDP on the national economy.
The NBS had reported in its 4th quarter Gross Domestic Product, (GDP) that Nigeria’s economy grew 3.4% in 2021, the strongest since 2014 and showed sustained positive growth for the 5th quarter since the recession witnessed in 2020.
National Secretary, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, (CECPC) John James Akpanudoedehe in a statement in Abuja said: “The country’s economy grew faster than forecast by the Central Bank on Nigeria, (CBN) and government last year after an expansion in the agriculture and trade industries in the fourth quarter offset, a sharp drop in oil production.
“The question begging for answers is the reason behind the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pessimism and gloom over the NBS report. Against the backdrop of the opposition Party’s doomsday wishes for the country, an apparently deflated PDP says the NBS report is fake.
“It is clear that the PDP is still stuck on the voodoo economics it used to hide stealing, and the shocking mismanagement of the economy under its watch until Nigerians voted the PDP out in favour of the APC government to restore sanity in the economy and other sectors of our national life.
“On our path, the APC joins well-meaning Nigerians to celebrate the many positives of the country’s sustained economic growth which consolidates our rank as Africa’s largest economy.
“Our economic growth is not mere happenstance, but as a result of deliberate programmes and policies of the President Muhammadu Buhari government to reflate, diversify and grow the economy from its former shoddy state.
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“As a direct result of this government’s non-oil sector economic diversification drive, agriculture; trade; Information and Communications Technology; Financial and Insurance Institutions, accounted for positive GDP growth, as reported by the NBS.
“Significantly, the non-oil sector grew by 4.73%, contributing 94.81% to the nation’s GDP in fourth quarter 2021.”
The APC further drew the PDP’s attention to Thursday’s report of Nigeria’s second peer review by the AU-NEPAD which noted that; “tremendous progress and success have been made in many areas, particularly in infrastructure development, agricultural revolution, humanitarian services, fight against corruption and so many more for which Nigeria was highly commended by the forum of Heads of State and Government at the 31st Ordinary Session of the AU on the 4th of February, 2022”.
It enjoined the PDP not to be the enemy within, as it laboriously tries to, in the guise of opposition politics.
“Besides, the fact that PDP governments are solely responsible for Nigeria’s economic mess which the APC government is repairing leaves the PDP least qualified to cast aspersions on the economic growth being recorded.
“Well meaning Nigerians and stakeholders should support this government to consolidate on our economic wins and efforts to entrench good governance practices which ultimately translates to transparency, accountability and an enabling environment for sustainable development.
“Nigerians will be the ultimate beneficiaries,” the statement added.
