The Progressive Governors Discussion board has faulted the declare by Prof. Attahiru Jega, former INEC chairman, that the 2 main events within the nation have failed Nigerians.
The Director-Common of PGF, Dr Salihu Lukman, mentioned this in a press release on Monday in Abuja.
Jega had in a BBC Hausa Service interview on Aug. 2, claimed that the 2 parties- the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Social gathering had failed Nigerians and shouldn’t be trusted once more.
However Lukman mentioned Jega had no proof to assist his submission.
“He had submitted that the 2 massive events had did not engender good governance and growth within the nation; consequently, he referred to as on Nigerians to not give their belief to the events once more.
“Coming from Jega, the declare that each the PDP and APC are the identical and had failed Nigerians shouldn’t be taken flippantly,’’ he mentioned.
Lukman mentioned this was particularly as a result of Jega wasn’t simply INEC`s former chairman, however a revered political scientist internationally, a theoretician and practitioner whose dedication to Nigeria’s growth couldn’t be faulted.
He mentioned that Jega grew by the ranks of radical activism to change into the chief, each intellectually and within the sensible subject of politics.
He mentioned that the previous INEC chairman was in a position to encourage and affect the emergence of era of each activists and leaders within the nation.
Lukman mentioned as a former INEC chairman, it couldn’t be disputed that Jega efficiently led the reform of electoral administration within the nation.
He famous that as anticipated, each the PDP and APC dismissed Jega’s submission, arguing that he was fallacious to conclude that the events had failed Nigerians.
He added that such allegations needs to be confirmed past the opinion of individuals, stressing that Jega didn’t current any particular validation on his conclusion.
“Each listening and studying the script of the interview, one is tempted to conclude that Jega spoke extra as a politician in that interview than the thorough scholar he’s.
“Being a Peoples` Redemption Social gathering (PRP) member, it was extra about justifying his alternative of PRP versus any of the so-called massive events.
“In lots of respects, it wasn’t vital in any respect, he doesn’t must justify his political alternative just about different events.
“Doing so, cheaply deliver him all the way down to the basement of one-dimensional politics, which he’s means above,’’ Lukman mentioned.
He mentioned it was unlucky that from the BBC interview, Jega didn’t make any try and current how his social gathering, the PRP, can be totally different.
“The President Muhammadu Buhari-led authorities is doing loads in all sectors of the nation`s financial system to positively influence on the lives of Nigerians opposite to perception by some critics,” Lukman mentioned.
He mentioned beneath the administration, there have been round 900 lively street contracts protecting the development, reconstruction or rehabilitation of greater than 13,000km of federal roads and highways throughout the nation.
This, he mentioned, was out of a complete variety of 35,000km of federal roads in existence in line with the Ministry of Works and Housing.
He mentioned that within the agriculture sector a number of the particular initiatives of the APC-led authorities included the Nationwide Meals Safety Council (NFSC) and Agriculture for Meals and Jobs Plan (AFJP) amongst others.
He mentioned for the reason that assumption of workplace in 2015, APC led federal authorities had been implementing Nationwide Social Funding Programme, which was way over what any authorities prior to now has accomplished.
He mentioned the purpose of the NSIP was to elevate 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.
In accordance with him, thousands and thousands of poor Nigerians are already benefiting from the initiative, whereas N36.9 billion in interest-free loans of between N50, 000 to N350,000 has been disbursed to greater than 2.3 million Nigerians.
“Other than these, there are different initiatives in different sectors,’’ the PGF DG confused.
He added that the achievements cited above, was simply to substantiate the purpose that primarily based on information of efficiency in authorities, APC couldn’t be in the identical class with the PDP.
Lukman maintained that anyone arguing that these achievements represented failure, would want to substantiate it with convincing proof of how their influence on the lives of Nigerians translated to detrimental outcomes.
“In contrast to PDP leaders, APC leaders usually are not in denial of the existence of challenges, despite the challenges, nonetheless, APC led federal authorities is making efforts to maneuver the nation ahead.
“In contrast to the PDP, APC-led authorities isn’t a failure,’’ he mentioned. (NAN)
