PRESIDENTIAL candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has revealed plans to form a government of national unity if elected in 2023.
In a statement he personally signed, Atiku said there is “consideration of a government of national unity that will douse the temperature, unite Nigerians and pave the way for improved security”.
He noted that improved security allows for investments and, therefore, an improved economy.
Atiku also criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) government for increasing Nigeria’s debt burden.
According to him, the Federal Government has been unreasonably upbeat about the reported growth rate of 3.4 per cent.
He accused the APC of refusing to admit that Nigeria is in deep trouble.
Parts of the statement read, “The citizens’ level of misery hasn’t changed, and the reasons are obvious. First, the key sectors of the economy, notably agriculture, oil and gas (the country’s cash cow), and manufacturing (that contributes to jobs), are either growing slowly or declining.
“Second, unabated are rising commodity prices occasioned by high energy and transportation costs (and aggravated by the disorderliness in the forex market).”
Atiku explained that the debt levels have continued to rise while the fiscal capacity to service the country’s debts declined.
He said, “Having run out of ideas, it appears that our unprecedented level of indebtedness is whetting the government’s appetite for more debt. This is a recipe for macroeconomic instability.”
The former vice president further challenged the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to make public recent statistics on poverty, unemployment and commodity prices.
According to him, the reality will leave no hope for the common man.
The statement added, “Like I have said before, increasing debts will never be a solution to our indebtedness. My government, if elected, will halt the rate of debt accumulation and, instead, focus on private-public partnerships in financing development.”
