A socio economic and political pressure group, the Niger Delta
Development Initiative (NDDI) has expressed sadness over Nigeria’s
worsening economic statistics in recent times.
It blamed the policies of President Muhammadu Buhari for the downward trend in the economy.
They
also criticized the President for the failure of his anti-corruption
campaign and for allowing his party, the APC to shelter some politicians
they had previously described as very corrupt.
In a statement
Thursday in Uyo and endorsed by its President and Secretary, Mr Ernest
Ukpe and Tom Buma, the group expressed sadness that corruption has
increased in the country despite the high expectations of Nigerians
following the President’s promises of fighting corruption to a
standstill when he was sworn-in in 2015.
“We are however
surprised that the President is campaigning with corrupt politicians
like the former Senate Minority Leader Chief Godswill Akpabio and the
NDDC MD Obong Nsima Ekere who have been enmeshed in misappropriation
scandals.
“Senator Akpabio, Muslimu Obianikoro, Orji Uzor Kalu
and all the previously “corrupt” PDP big wigs have now been sanctified
after their defection to APC. Recall that Akpabio was charged over N180
billion money laundering,” it said.
The statement said that “the
President’s five point agenda and his economic policies have failed with
no return on the country’s debt; the present administration has
borrowed more than the Obasanjo, Yaradua and Goodluck Jonathan’s
administrations in three years while electricity generation and
distribution has worsened.
“Nigeria has become the poverty
capital of the world overtaking India with more than 50% living in
extreme poverty, while the UN predicts that Nigeria needs 11.9 people
per minute to escape extreme poverty, but presently has a deficit of 6.8
people every minute, i.e. 6.8 people enter into poverty every minute.
“According
to statistics by NACCIMA, more than 800 companies shut down within the
three years of this current administration further denying Nigerians of
the much needed employment opportunities and ruining the
livelihood of many families.”
“Under
the present administration Nigeria has become the 2nd worst electricity
supply nation in the world. The country has not added more than 1,000
MGW to its supply bank while Egypt in less than two years have added
14,500 MGW of electricity, enough to provide uninterrupted power for
over 40 million people.” It said.
The group expressed their support for a President who would ensure the immediate restructuring and practice of
true
federalism in Nigeria, commence the immediate development of the Niger
Delta and clean up Ogoni and other communities ravaged by oil
exploration and exploitation.
“That though we sympathize with the
President as a human for his fragile health, Nigerians will want a very
healthy and strong President who can cope with the rigorous demands of
the office. We strongly doubt that the current state of health of the
President will let him cope with the demands of his office.
“As
we welcome the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces Gen
Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd.) for the flag off of his Presidential Campaign in
Uyo on Friday we will want to remind him that the Niger Delta people
will only support a President who will give us restructuring, true
federation and who will truly fight corruption.
“That the Niger
Delta people will only support a President who will build our battered
economy and who will support investments, develop the Niger Delta region
and Akwa Ibom in particular.
“The East/West Road has been
abandoned while only N3 billion out of the more than N130 Billion needed
for Calabar/ Itu highway has been released to mobilize the contractor
making the people of the region to believe that this could be another
political road project.
“Niger Delta Development Initiative
therefore call on the President to as a matter of urgency begin the
implementation of the recommendations of the 2014 constitutional
conference as regards the practice of true federalism. Bring all corrupt
politicians who have formerly been indicted to book. Begin the
implementation of a feasible and sustainable road-map for the
development of the Niger Delta,” they further stated.
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