The Federal Government, and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), have criticized state governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for demanding President Bola Tinubu's resignation over economic hardship and naira devaluation on Sunday.
The ruling party criticized the governors for suggesting that Nigeria, under the APC leadership, was on the verge of becoming like Venezuela.
Under the leadership of Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, the PDP governors declared last week that Nigeria, under Tinubu, was close to resembling Venezuela.
The South American country is currently grappling with a multitude of challenges, including corruption, food and medicine shortages, business closures, and high unemployment rates.
If they are unable to provide sustainable solutions, the PDP governors also recommended that Tinubu and the ruling APC resign over the state of the nation on Saturday.
In response, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, criticized the PDP governors for their attempt to distract those focused on achieving President Tinubu's visions.
The minister highlighted that the present administration was currently focusing on providing financial support to all State Governments, regardless of partisan affiliation. The removal of the petrol subsidy, a major focus of the PDP presidential campaign, has boosted the revenues of all States, including those governed by the PDP.
Recognizing the unfinished task of revitalizing our national economy initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari's administration, the President and his team are focusing on large-scale infrastructure, social welfare programs, prioritizing the military and security agencies' equipment and welfare, and reclaiming Nigeria's strategic position globally. Since 2014/2015, Boko Haram and its affiliates, once on the rise, have been significantly weakened, and similar progress is now being seen with bandits and other criminals, he explained
Idris stated that APC had settled numerous liabilities inherited from the PDP government, such as subsidy claims by oil marketers, Paris Club Refunds, unpaid pensions, gratuities, and salary arrears owed to various categories of pensioners from liquidated and existing state-owned enterprises.
He added, “we must continue to state these facts so Nigerians will know where we are coming from, and appreciate what is being done in its full context.”
Also reacting, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, emphasized that although he cannot find fault with anyone for expressing their opinions, it would be misguided to call on the President to resign for 'idle spectators.'’
Morka pointed out that a federal system like Nigeria functions on the principle of shared, constitutionally delineated responsibilities among the three government tiers. It could benefit from constructive ideas or solutions to governance challenges from the governors rather than mockery.
In his statement, Morka expressed his disappointment in the PDP governors, accusing them of being mere sycophants who do not practice what they preach.
He therefore urged Nigerians to have some patience and disregard their utterances for the president to fix the country.