KOGI State Governor Yahaya Bello has questioned data that are not favourable to his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Anchors on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, on Tuesday, reminded Bello of grim statistics on inflation, unemployment and poverty, asking him whether those were not an indictment on APC. The governor, who is eyeing the position of president on the platform of APC, responded by saying that he would question the numbers.
He raised integrity questions about how global institutions such as World Data Lab, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank got their data, querying who they interviewed and their methodologies of gathering data. He, however, did not provide better metrics on how to track Nigeria’s performance.
Local institutions like the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and global institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank have scientifically- and statistically-proven methodologies of gathering data, some of which include surveys, questionnaires, interviews, documents, focus groups, among others.
World Data Lab’s World Poverty Clock says 105 million Nigerians are extremely poor. The NBS says 33.3 per cent of the population in Nigeria are unemployed, with inflation reaching 18.17 per cent in March, 2021. These did not augur well with the governor.
Bello has a history of questioning proven facts. He has campaigned against COVID-19 and rejected its vaccine, making unfounded claims that it was meant to kill and introduce new diseases into the body.
Bello on the morning programme said he would know what to do to address ineffectiveness and underperformance with any of his cabinet members, especially ministers, if elected president.
He said the president had come with laudable projects that could transform the lives, but those charged with the responsibility of executing those projects had been unable to follow through.
He noted that it would only take sincere leadership at all levels to tackle unemployment, which was mostly responsible for the nation’s insecurity.
He said that the nation must look at the genesis of the problems it was currently going through and begin to fix them from there.
“Bandits and employment, what should be done? Because that is what we should all be looking forward to. What should be done is to ensure sincere leadership at all levels. A lot of problems that are ongoing today are not caused by Nigerians but leaders,” he said.
“Leadership at all levels, and when I say leadership at all levels, I do not just mean by federal government or state, but those in authorities like people in their private offices that our families look up to. We are all in leadership positions -the Imams, traditional rulers. We should all come out and be sincere with Nigerians.
“For instance, we have a steel complex here in Kogi that could take a number of able-bodied men and youths off the streets, if developed. We have the inland ports in the state that could provide jobs for many, but these have left undeveloped due to corruption. Where are the monies budgeted for the dredging of the waters right from the time of President Yaradua? Where are they?” he asked.
Bello blamed the country’s unemployment data and insecurity ravaging various parts of the country on insincerity demonstrated by both past and present political office holders.
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