• He’s playing irresponsible politics –Presidency ν Gov right, say MBF, PDP, others
By Chinelo Obogo, Romanus Ugwu, Ndubuisi Orji, Idu Jude, Abuja and Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Nigerians, yesterday, rose in stout defence of Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, with some urging President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to sit up and tinker with his policies for the benefit of the hungry Nigerian masses.
The governor had while playing host to a delegation of Islamic scholars led by Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, advised President Tinubu to listen to Nigerians and correct his past mistakes, saying his economic policies are not working.
This is even as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) described the governor as an attention seeker, who is playing the role of an opposition, being the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum.
Reacting, National Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Alhaji Umar Faruk, advised President Tinubu to change his “harsh economic policies” insisting that they have failed to elevate the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
“It is obvious that the policies of Mr. President have remained anti-human, and I must say that many Nigerians are suffering, and we must not pretend about it. I would like to say that the government of APC needs to sit up if they know what to do. It is not only making changes that matters but also ensuring that the policies work because everything has remained the opposite since Tinubu assumed office in 2023,” the Labour party spokesman said.
Speaking in the same vein, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) also believes that the Federal Government policies are bad.
Its president, Bitrus Pogu, told Daily Sun that he agrees with the governor that President Tinubu’s economic policies are bad, he does not accept that every aspect of the nation has deteriorated.
“I do not fully agree with Bala Mohammed because I know that insecurity has decreased drastically as the army seems to have the political will to fight. However, his economic policies are bad because they didn’t plan well. For instance, rather than removing subsidy abruptly, they would have gradually introduced the CNG before removing subsidy. I am not the kind of person who condemns everybody because even the tax reform everyone is complaining about is supposed to stimulate growth. Based on what I have mentioned, I cannot holistically say that Bala is right because there are some things that are working.
“However, people should not forget that Tinubu didn’t pretend to anyone. He said he was going to follow in Buhari’s footsteps. Buhari was nepotistic and Tinubu is doing the same thing, so anyone who supported him should have known that he will do exactly what Buhari did because that was what he promised, so why should anyone cry? When Buhari was carrying out his nepotism, did anyone from the north complain?”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, said the stance of Governor Mohammed on the policies of the Federal Government was in sync with the views of Nigerians.
He told Daily Sun, in a telephone interview that the Bauchi governor has only amplified the views of Nigerians on the All APC’s administration.
“Governor Bala Mohammed as chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi has only amplified what the common man and the average Nigerian is saying that this government is not working for the interest of the people.
“Governor Bala Mohammed was not speaking for himself. He was speaking for the ‘Talakawas (downtrodden)’ of this country and all who are currently being oppressed and victimised by the failed policies of this government.
“I am very sure that even the Presidency if they do a credibility assessment, they will not be shocked to know that their approval rating is less than five percent, because they know in their heart that they have not delivered any of the promises they made to Nigerians. Is it security? Is it food security? Is it power supply? There is nothing. Even the so-called local government autonomy… you would have seen what is playing out in Edo. If the man is reading newspapers and watching television by now, he should have responded. But because he is shielded from the correct reality, I am sure the man is not even aware of what is happening.
“He has already amplified what the common man is saying that Mr. President, Bola Tinubu, has failed and his party, the APC, has continued in the failure of the last eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari, “ Osadolor said.
Reacting to the development from Kaduna, the 19 Northern states and FCT, Abuja chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said constructive criticism helps the government to be alive to its responsibilities.
According to the Secretary General of the CAN, Elder Sunday Oibe, “in a democracy, constructive criticism helps the government to be alive to its responsibilities to the people. That is his opinion and he is entitled to it. It is up to the presidency to either debunk or adjust its policies to address the opinion of the opposition. Other party members did the worst criticism of Goodluck Jonathan’s government when they were in the opposition.”
But the APC has dismissed the claims by Governor Mohammed, saying it is a lame excuse. The National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, dismissed the governor as a “fantastic failure” for failing to effectively utilise the state’s expanded resources to deliver good and productive governance to his people.
“Bala’s claim is only understandable in relation to his need to hear the sound of his own voice as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum.
“President Tinubu’s economic reform has begun, undeniably, to yield the desired foundation blocks for prosperous new Nigeria,” he declared.