From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration has put Nigeria into bondage with its many borrowing and inability to address the economic and security situations in the country.
The PDP national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who stated this at an interactive session with journalists, yesterday, in Abuja, was reacting to President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day broadcast.
Ologunagba noted that while independence means freedom, the APC controlled Federal Government was enslaving the country through foreign loans.
He challenged the Federal Government to give full account of the savings from the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit ( PMS), as well as the many loans the Tinubu administration has obtained and how they were applied.
The opposition spokesman, who described the independence speech as uninspiring and disappointing, said it was allegedly full of misleading claims and statistics, which did not reflect the reality on ground.
“He (President Tinubu) claimed that the economy is performing well, but Nigerians are asking: which corner has the economy really turned? Is it the corner of insecurity, where violence has crippled farming and production?
“The corner of rising costs, where parents cannot pay school fees? Or the corner where families live in fear of kidnappers and bandits? Talk is cheap. What matters is what people feel in their daily lives, and the hardship on the streets tells a very different story.
“The reality is that insecurity remains a serious threat. Just a few days ago, in Abuja, we saw the gruesome murder of a brilliant lawyer and journalist. That is only one of many incidents that show how unsafe people feel. Families live in constant fear, yet the government keeps insisting that things are improving. Independence should mean freedom from fear, but Nigerians do not feel free.”
Furthermore, Ologunagba added: “The government has taken us backwards compared to the past. Under the PDP administration, Nigeria paid off its debts and created real economic opportunities.
“Today, the APC has plunged the country into unsustainable debt, much of it without any clear link to development projects. Instead, borrowing has fuelled corruption and waste. That is not progress. It is dependence, not independence.
“We are told that trillions have been saved through subsidy removal, but Nigerians cannot see where the money is going. We hear of trillions saved, but also of trillions borrowed. What projects have these funds been tied to? Where is the transparency? Without accountability, these so-called savings mean nothing to ordinary people.
“The announcement of ₦25,000 cash transfers to selected households is not a solution either. Handouts do not build an economy. True reform comes from policies that boost production and create jobs, not from token payments.
“For example, if families were given tax breaks to renovate their homes, that would stimulate demand for building materials, create jobs for artisans and keep manufacturers in business. That is how you grow an economy. Handouts only deepen poverty and dependence.”
The PDP spokesman, while speaking on recent developments in the party, especially to the caretaker committee in Akwa Ibom State, said the opposition party was focused on its national convention, scheduled for November 15 and 16, in Ibadan.
A statement by Ologunagba on Tuesday, announced the dissolution of the State Working Committee (SWC) of Akwa Ibom Chapter and the setting up of
a caretaker committee to pilot the affairs of the PDP in the area, pending the conduct of a state congress.
However, the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, in a letter to the Akwa Ibom PDP described the dissolution of the state executive as a nullity, saying there was no formal meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) where such a decision was taken.
However, Ologunagba, who maintained that there is no crisis in the party, noted that “in the case of Akwa Ibom, the party has taken clear decisions and those decisions stand. Attempts by individuals to act outside the party’s authority are unacceptable.
“Our constitution does not allow anyone to belong to two parties at once, and we will not tolerate actions that undermine unity. The meeting that produced the party’s position was properly convened, with records and videos to prove it. Anyone claiming otherwise is misleading the public.
“The PDP remains the only truly democratic party in Nigeria. We are committed to accountability, transparency and policies that will rebuild the economy and restore hope. Despite the propaganda of the ruling party, Nigerians can see the difference between empty promises and real progress. Our convention will reaffirm our commitment to the people and prepare us to provide the leadership this country desperately needs.”
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