Politics

APC and economic sabotage against PDP states

Published

7 years ago

November 7, 2017

Olu Emmanuel

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By Emmanuel Nicholas

A treacherous economic reform deters growth, so malicious political policies causes instability and perpetuates economic uncertainties.

The current economic cum political manipulation by the All Progressives Congress led Federal Government to deprive the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led States of their due funds, is a bid to slow down the pace of development in those regions and crash the economic growth of those States.

The APC led government is trying to use deprivation of funds to these States in order to make the populace not to see PDP Governors as performing Governments across the Country ,hence, using it as a propaganda against these State in 2019 .

This economic manipulation is also borne out of great shame and disgrace that is tralling their States. There is no APC led State that is currently performing well, compared to their counterparts in the Peoples Democratic Party led States .

A look at States that owe Salaries and are indebted to their workers , shows APC’s none performace and lack of transparency in their Government .

Kogi State is owing as many as 15 months. Others heavily indebted stats are Osun, 12 months; Kwara, 11; Plateatue 7; Ondo, 7; Boronu, 6; and Oyo, 6. Others are Benue State, 4 months; Nasarawa State, 2; Edo , 2; Imo, 7; as well as several months of unpaid allowances and Ogun State, which owes over six months of unremitted deductions from workers’ salaries for cooperatives, union dues, among others.

Another look at the debt management office shows that almost all PDP led Governments have paid their workers up to date, including other allowances .

Apart from the payment of Salaries , Peoples Democratic Party are also leading in developmental indices. Let me attempt to use road construction and industrialization as a typical example of these indices . in the last two years Rivers State have constructed 922 kilometers , Delta State 755 kilometer , Akwa Ibom 1,202 kilometers of Road , Abia 465 kilometers of Road ,Enugu 677 kilometers among others . And APC State can boast of 200km .

In the last African News Magazine , the editorial team evaluated the growth indices of Nigeria and Akwa Ibom , Rivers and Delta State was leading the park apart from Lagos State which was the only APC mentioned .

In the past two years , industrialization revolution is also led by Peoples Democratic Party’s Governors. In this sector Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State is leading .With the revival of Peacock paint industry two years ago , establishment of Pencil and tooth Pick factory, even when the APC Government is planning to start production of these products in 2020 , a State controlled by the largest Political Party in Nigeria is already producing Tooth Pick and Pencil .

The Akwa Ibom State Governor has also broken more new grounds , as the State has partnered with the Private Sector to build Metering solution factory and Jubilee Syringe factory .

On his first official assignment in Akwa Ibom State , Prof Yemi Osibanjo made a pronouncement that marveled many in the opposition flank, who never expected such commendation from an All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain to a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governor .As part of activities to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the states creation, a 400 million capacity a year, Syringe manufacturing company was to be commissioned by Vice President Yemi Osibanjo.

The Vice President who was perceptibly overjoyed with Governor Udom Emmanuel for his sagacity in drawing such economically viable project, said “you are one of the cleverest people I’ve ever come across.”He described the syringe factory as a revolutionary project, not just for the State, but Africa , adding that, “it is a game changer for the Nigeria ,” as it marked local production of all syringes in the country and applauded the Governor for his novelty and inventiveness.

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The progress report of all the PDP States in Nigeria may have angered the APC led Government ,who over the last two years have tried so hard to destroy the image of Peoples Democratic Party before the public without success . Why they can’t succeed is because of the uncommon performance of PDP States and transparency in the appropriation of the funds in their possession.

In case you are not aware, by Nigeria’s revenue sharing formula, the Federal Government of APC gets 56 percent of all of the country’s revenues. By implication, the fund available to the Federal Government is more than that of all the 36 States and the 774 Local Government Areas combined.

The question that comes to mind is, what is the Federal Government doing with its huge financial base? There are no ongoing meaningful projects anywhere in the country. Ogoni clean up almost three years after flag-off is still pending , Calabar-Itu Road, two years after funds was released is still pending , second Niger Bridge that APC led Government said they have released over 2 billion dollars to the contractors still remains where President Goodluck Jonathan’s Government Stopped.

We merely hear of approvals with nothing on ground to show. The most ugly aspect is that we have sneaked into an era where it is fashionable for the Federal Government to undo opposition states, sponsor campaigns of calumny against them and generate political and economic tensions within their precincts.

Look at the last three months,allocation, Akwa Ibom State is highest contributor to nation’s wealth but came second in the sharing formula. This is a clear case of economic sabotage against a State, which is second to lagos in attraction of foreign investment and first in economic growth in the last two years .

It laughable that the Federal Government budgeted a Paltry 1billion naira to Ibom deep Sea Port Project , yet the project is suffering from Economic and political sabotage, even with the 1 billion that was appropriated nothing has been done to commence the construction. While the State Government has commenced a multi-Billion naira 12 lanes ,55.3km superhighway access road to the Deep Sea Port .

Since May 29, 2015, this administration of change(as claimed) has turned into an administration of blame. They blamed PDP for all that happened during their government and also blame PDP for all that is happening now that they have left power. They blamed poor oil price for their failure to come up with and implement sound monetary and fiscal policies for the economy. Now, the oil prices are up , their polices are still poor . Instead of the APC government to concentrate and implement good polices like the PDP Governor’s, they are looking for ways to truncate the successes of PDP States. Surely, they will fail .