The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of worsening financial hardship and insecurity, saying Nigerians have but to really feel the advantages of its insurance policies.
Mr Baba-Ahmed mentioned tens of millions of kids had been unable to attend faculty due to insecurity, whereas harmful roads and the rising value of dwelling continued to have an effect on Nigerians.
He spoke on Tuesday throughout an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the place he criticised the federal government’s efficiency after three and a half years in workplace.
“Children who live in territories taken by bandits and kidnappers can’t go to school at all,” he mentioned.
The PRP chairman additionally questioned the federal government’s financial efficiency, arguing that official statistics didn’t mirror the difficulties Nigerians confronted of their day by day lives.
“Children aren’t going to school; life is more insecure; life is harder. He flashed all the statistics. How can we build an economy?” he requested.
Mr Baba-Ahmed additionally faulted the tempo of highway building, citing the Abuja-Kaduna freeway for example of a highway the place motorists nonetheless face security dangers.
He argued that the federal government ought to have delivered extra infrastructure tasks with the income generated from oil.
Tinubu has nothing to inform Nigerians
Mr Baba-Ahmed, who was particular adviser on political issues within the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima, additionally criticised Mr Tinubu’s reported choice to restrict his participation in marketing campaign rallies forward of the 2027 normal election, arguing that the president ought to personally clarify his administration’s file to voters.
He mentioned the president seemed to be relying on different political figures to marketing campaign for his re-election relatively than immediately addressing Nigerians about his insurance policies and their results.
“He had nothing to say to them; he had nothing to say to Nigerians, which is why he says, ‘Okay, gentlemen, go and campaign for me. I will stay in Abuja and run the country,’” he mentioned.
“You run the country now? Three and a half years, you didn’t run this country. Now you remember that you have to run a country?”
The PRP chairman additional questioned the administration’s file on governance, arguing that the federal government had not adequately addressed the issues confronting the nation.
He additionally confused the significance of a nationwide census, describing it as a key instrument for planning and understanding the nation’s demographic strengths and weaknesses.
2027 election
Mr Baba-Ahmed expressed confidence that Mr Tinubu would battle to win the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the result would rely on the credibility of the electoral course of.
He warned {that a} compromised election might threaten Nigeria’s unity, notably if voters believed their decisions had been disregarded.
He mentioned the federal government and electoral authorities should be certain that residents in areas affected by banditry and kidnapping might take part within the election.
According to him, insecurity might stop tens of millions of Nigerians from voting, particularly in elements of northern Nigeria the place armed teams have restricted motion and disrupted day by day life.
He additionally warned that rich political pursuits might use their monetary sources to mobilise giant numbers of voters, elevating issues in regards to the affect of cash on the electoral course of.
Mr Baba-Ahmed acknowledged that allegations of electoral malpractice weren’t peculiar to Nigeria, however argued that the authorities should take steps to stop manipulation and restrict its impression on election outcomes.
He described the announcement of outcomes as a crucial stage of the electoral course of, insisting that solely officers authorised by legislation might declare a winner.
INEC communication
The PRP chairman additionally criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over what he described as insufficient communication with Nigerians.
Responding to the fee chairman’s place on the declaration of election outcomes, Mr Baba-Ahmed mentioned the legislation clearly identifies the officers authorised to announce winners.
He agreed that no particular person might independently declare a candidate the winner of an election with out the authorized authority to take action.
However, he mentioned INEC wanted to speak extra successfully with the general public and clarify its function in saying election outcomes to stop confusion.
Mr Baba-Ahmed, who as soon as served as INEC secretary, additionally expressed concern about the opportunity of political actors making an attempt to control the result of the 2027 election.
“I’m worried because if they lose, I hope they don’t try to make or turn falsehood into truth. That’s what I’m worried about,” he mentioned.
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