14092022

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 — 27
2023: Our stand on same faith
ticket stands
Continued from Page 5
Vice President, how has his
Vice Presidency benefitted
any Christian in Nigeria?
The thing is staring them
in the face that Bola Tinubu
will win in 2023 and that
is why they are looking for
a way to thwart his victory.
I don’t believe in
playing politics with
religion, Okowa
slams Tinubu, Obi
Meanwhile, Governor
Okowa tackled Tinubu and
the presidential candidate of
the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter
Obi, over their recent utterances,
saying he does not believe
in playing politics with
religion..
He said this during the
Northern Christian Youth Assembly
Summit in Abuja.
The governor also condemned
the idea of cyber-bullying
by supporters of other
presidential candidates,
which he said won’t stop him
from speaking the truth about
the situation in the country.
His words: “I do not believe
in the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
The reason is that there is a
diversity when it comes to
that. Therefore, sticking to
one faith is not a good thing
to do particularly in a troubled
nation as we are in today.
It’s almost like going on
to having the presidential
candidate pick his vice presidential
candidate from the
north and picking the Vice
Presidential candidate also
from the North.
“So, the only ticket that can
work for our Nigeria is the
ticket that is not trying to build
itself to election victory to either
the Muslim or Christian
faith. “PDP will win the election
because many people
have keyed into this project.
We are receiving decampees
in droves.
“When we talk about the
future is for the youths, yes it is
from today but the truth is that
our youths, particularly
youths leaders, must be in a
position to have a clear understanding
so that they can
guide others aright.”
Alleged cyberbullying
On alleged cyber-bullying
by supporters of other political
parties, Okowa said: “I did
not speak up my mind to look
down on anybody. But the
truth is that Nigeria is so divided.
Nigeria is insecure. We
are going to see bullying in
the cyberspace of our country.
I think that everybody
should have his space and
time to be able to think, and
make comments without being
bullied. We need to do critical
thinking and that is why
we are gathered here today.”
Lamenting the myriad challenges
rocking the nation as
Nigerians prepare to elect a
new set of leaders in 2023, the
Delta governor said: “The situation
in this country is very
bad. Sometimes we do not understand
how bad it is. But I
know that it is not irredeemable.
“The former Vice-President
(Atiku) and I working with the
party and working with Nigerians,
believe that we can
begin the rebuilding process
but first we have to be able to
rescue the nation by winning
the elections.
“The economy is so bad,
that the education and the
health system are so bad. We
are crying for devolution of
power, and in all these challenges,
you don’t bring somebody
who wants to learn on
the job. Because if you do, so
you drop him on the seat, and
he gets overwhelmed by the
challenges on the ground. We
don’t want to return to 2015.”
Naira appreciates to N436.04
/$ in I&E window
By Elizabeth Adegbesan
The naira yesterday appreciated to N436.04 per
dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window.
Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative
exchange rate for the window fell to N436.04 per
dollar from N436.5 per dollar on Monday, indicating
46 kobo appreciation for the naira.
Similarly, the naira appreciated by N5 in the
parallel market yesterday.
Vanguard findings from black market traders
showed that the parallel market exchange rate fell
to N705 per dollar from N710 per dollar on Monday.
Why Atiku picked
Okowa as running
mate over Wike,
others — AYU
Also speaking, the National
Chairman of the PDP, Senator
Iyorchia Ayu, explained
that the party’s presidential
candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,
picked Governor
Okowa as his running mate
above his Rivers counterpart,
Nyesom Wike, and other
nominees presented to him
because of his (Okowa’s) humility
and excellent performance
in office.
Ayu said: “We looked
around and we thought we
have to give not just a vice
president that will assist him
(Atiku) but we did our homework
to select a man, who is
highly educated, very humble,
and who has done very well
as a governor in his home
state.
“Okowa is the most qualified
running mate. It is on his
merit that he was selected by
the party as the vice presidential
candidate for Atiku Abubakar.
I think Nigeria will be
very lucky to have two such
people who are committed to
the development, who are detribalized
and who believe in
uniting this country.”
The PDP chairman, however,
urged Nigerians to be wary
of the APC, saying the ruling
party performed poorly because
they lacked a clear blueprint
to turn around the fortunes
of the country.
He said: “Even if APC were
to come back tomorrow and
give you a Muslim-Christian
ticket, your fate will be worse
because they have no programme.
“We have a president who is
a Muslim, a vice president,
who is a Christian, but they
are not sensitive to the needs
of the vast majority of the population.
“We have about 28 ministers
in the Northern part of the
country. I think only two
Christians, the rest 26 Muslims,
or that. Is that not insensitive?
The vice president, per
se, cannot do everything.
“Today, we are borrowing to
pay salaries because of the
mismanagement that has befallen
this country. We have
never had a situation where
the security situation was so
LAGOS — Presidential
candidate of Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku
Abubakar, said yesterday Nigeria
was currently being
dressed in borrowed robes.
Recall that Nigeria’s current
debt, local and foreign, stands
at N41trillion, with the nation
spending a greater chunk of
its revenue to service debts.
Abubakar said the All Progressives
Congress-led government
has distorted the
economy since 2015, adding
that basic commodities are
now beyond the reach of ordinary
Nigerians.
The PDP standard bearer,
who spoke at the presidential
economic agenda forum of
the Lagos Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, LCCI,
From left, Kwara State SUBEB Chairman, Prof AbdulRaheem Shehu Adaramaja;
Hon Ganiyu Olododo; and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Basic
Education and Services, Professor Julius Ihonvbere; during an inspection visit by
the House Committee to UBEC/SUBEB Intervention Project in Ogele LGEA School,
in Asa LGA of the state, on Monday.
bad. I believe we can salvage
this country. This country is
drifting very dangerously. We
can’t allow it to disintegrate.”
Urging Christian youths to
take active part in the political
activities leading to the
2023 elections, Ayu said:
“What you are doing is a serv-
Nigeria broke, still feels like we’re in
recession — ATIKU
said: “Nigeria is being
dressed in borrowed robes.
APC has consistently run on a
budget deficit since 2015,
above three percent permissible
threshold under FRA…
and more if you add CBN and
AMCON debt in ways and
means.”
On his plans for the economy,
Abubakar said he will
pursue a “warm handshake
policy for the private sector”.
He said: “We will ensure we
give a warm handshake to the
private sector. They are important
for any sector or economy
to succeed. I enjoy making
people rich. I feel fulfilled
when I make opportunities for
others.”
Abubakar said the country’s
economy was “bleak and our
ice to humanity. If you give
them (Atiku and Okowa) your
support and you mobilise the
rest of the Nigerians to support,
I believe we can salvage
this country and make a difference.
“As a Christian, I want to say
that we believe a lot in prayer,
challenges daunting; no one
should downplay the enormity
of the tasks ahead.
‘’Indeed, I cannot think of a
more daunting challenge
than restoring confidence in
the future of Nigeria as a dynamic
economy and stable
democracy.
“I have a good grasp of the
challenges bedevilling Nigeria.
I know the root causes of
our problems. I know that
many of these problems are
self-inflicted and can be reversed
if we are determined.
And we are determined.
“I will not come unprepared.
It is not in my character
as a businessman or as a
public officer to be caught off
guard. My policy document
contains the right policies that
will be timely delivered.”
Lagos Assembly gives 2-day ultimatum
to Sanwo-Olu’s commissioner
LAGOS — The Lagos
State House of Assembly
has given a two-day ultimatum
to the Commissioner
for Waterfront Infrastructure,
Mr Kabiru Abdullahi
to appear before it.
According to the News
Agency of Nigeria, NAN,
the summons followed the
commissioner’s alleged refusal
to honour previous
invitations extended to him
by the assembly.
The house issued the order
sequel to a motion
moved by the Chairman,
House Committee on Waterfront
Infrastructure, Mr
Wahab Jomoh at plenary
yesterday.
Wahab described as unacceptable,
the commissioner’s
incessant refusal to
honour invitations extended
to him by his committee.
Jimoh told his colleagues
that the commissioner had
made the committee’s over-
sight functions difficult with
his refusal to honour invitations
and present needed
documents.
He said: “It will be noted
that it is this house that approved
his appointment
but the commissioner has
refused to submit the midyear
budget report for review
and appraisal.
“Currently, the ministry
has been invited but as I
am talking, the commissioner
has refused to honour
the invitation.
“I want to suggest that my
committee be made to carry
out a comprehensive investigation
while the house
should also place on hold,
the confirmation of his appointment
pending when
the investigation is concluded.”
Supporting him, another
lawmaker, Mr Bisi Yusuff,
noted that the legislature is
the most important arm of
government in a democracy
and, as such, must be
respected.
In his contribution, Mr
Abiodun Tobun urged the
house to allow a full-scale
investigation into the commissioner’s
activities in office
for treating the house
with levity.
His positions were supported
by Mr Adedamola
Kasunmu, Mr Sa’ad Olumo
and Mr Victor Akande.
In his ruling, the Speaker,
Mr Mudashiru Obasa
directed the Clerk of the
House, Mr Olalekan Onafeko,
to write to the commissioner
to appear with all
necessary documents on
Thursday.
“I have listened to your
submissions and I want to
appeal to the chairman and
the committee members to
sheathe their anger on
him. We should give him
another opportunity to appear
before you on Thursday,
unfailingly, he said.
but over the years, we also
know that, if you pray and you
don’t work, I don’t think God
will just come down and
make things happen. You
need to act. And so why do we
pray? We try as much as possible
to act in a way that God
will help us.”
Atiku said Nigeria was
“broke” and that the economy
was “crawling rather than
growing”.
He said: “Per capita income,
a measure of citizens’ wellbeing,
has progressively fallen
since 2015 because of declining
output and a fastgrowing
population. Nigerians
are worse off today than
they were in 2015.
“The oil and gas sector,
which is the economy’s lifeline,
has suffered a decline in
19 of 30 quarters since 2014.
For many economic sectors
and for the ordinary citizens
it still feels as in a recession.
“Under the present administration,
our people are not
working. More than 23 million
people are out of jobs. In
just five years, between 2015
and 2020, the number of fully
employed people dropped by
54%, from 68 million to 31
million people.
“The number of unemployed
people is more than
the population of Lagos State
or the inhabitants of the Federal
Capital Territory (FCT),
Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River,
Ebonyi, Kwara and Nasarawa
states combined.
“What is even more worrisome
is that the majority of
the unemployed are young
men and women, who lack
not only the means to survive
but also any hope for the future.
‘’The number of unemployed
youths increased by
nine million from four million
in 2015 to 13 million in
2020.
“Nigeria is broke. Nigeria
under the APC-led government
has consistently run-on
budget deficits since it came
to power in 2015. These budget
deficits are often above the
3% threshold permissible under
the Fiscal Responsibility
Law.”
Atiku added that Nigeria
was breaching “one of the
applicable debt-sustainability
thresholds” by spending
more on debt servicing than
the country’s revenue.