The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) said it is vindicated by the admission by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, that the reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration were responsible for the worsening hardship in the country.
The minister was quoted to have stated at a Federal Appointees Strategic Summit in Abuja on Wednesday that the Tinubu administration did not anticipate what it described as the scale of turbulence that hit the global economy.
APM in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary Abubakar Yusuf, said the admission validated its position that the Tinubu government lacked the coherent economic blueprint, policy foresight and adequate safeguards required to manage a nation.
“It is indeed irresponsible and unpardonable for a government to arrogantly embark on far-reaching economic policies without adequately assessing their damaging consequences on citizens,” the party stated.
The APM recalled that well-meaning Nigerians had cautioned that the abrupt removal of subsidy on petroleum products, floating of the naira, imposition of harsh taxes and other anti-production policies in an economy such as Nigeria, would precipitate untold hardship on the people.
“Instead of listening to voice of reason, the Tinubu administration embarked on ego trip and chest thumping that ended up ruining the economy and cripple the productive sector.
“The result is the growing number of millions of compatriots languishing in multi-dimensional poverty,” the party said.
It also blamed the exit of many multi-national companies out of the country and collapse of local businesses, which it said, led to hike in cost of living and widespread unemployment, on the Tinubu’s harsh economic policies.
“Now that the administration has admitted that it has failed and that it is responsible for the woes of the citizens, it is expected that President Tinubu should take responsibility, apologise to Nigerians and quit the 2027 presidential race as he has not demonstrated the capacity to effectively run an insightful and productive system,” APM demanded.
According to the statement, Bagudu’s admission is an indication that the Nigerian system requires a “reset from the comatose situation it has been plunged into by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.”
It stated that Nigeria deserves a leadership that has the blueprint, policy foresight and adequate safeguards required to manage a nation and ensure the wellbeing of all citizens.
APM said its presidential candidate Engr. Seyi Makinde has the blueprint to run a people-based and development-driven government with a roadmap for tackling Nigeria’s economic and security challenges.
“Nigeria deserves the duplication, at national level, of Engr. Makinde’s record of performance including growing the economy of Oyo State to become one of the best performing in Nigeria and the West African sub-region,” the party added.
