The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday, took a swipe at President
Muhammadu Buhari, over what it described as the harmful consequences of
his alleged negative statements on the economy and the general image of
the country.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa
Metuh said the President’s unwary statements have become very serious clog
in the wheel of progress, eroding the confidence of both domestic and
international investors in the Nigerian economic and social system.
The party said: “It is worrisome that in the last six months, the
President, instead of making efforts to harness resources and grow the
economy, has rather continued to apply himself, perhaps unwittingly, to
demarketing the nation and scaring away investors through negative
labeling of Nigerians and unwarranted unhealthy portrayal of the nation’s
economy.”
“In the last six months, our President has only succeeded in discouraging
foreign investors with his continued misrepresentation of our country as a
business unfriendly environment, where most of the citizens are basically
corrupt, dishonest, and cannot be trusted.
“Whereas we have restated our total support for the war against
corruption, we insist that Mr. President’s unceasing blanket negative
labeling of citizens, in a country where millions of honest and
hardworking individuals/firms are genuinely contributing daily to the
development effort, is indeed a disservice and injurious to the nation and
the people.
“Furthermore, Mr. President’s recent announcement to the world that the
nation, with its abundant human and natural resources, is broke and cannot
pay cabinet ministers not only sends a discouraging signal to the domestic
and international business community, but also exposes the ineptitude of
the present administration to meaningfully and sincerely exert itself and
work with industrious and innovative investors to create and manage
wealth.
“We ask; how can any reasonable investor still have the confidence to
invest in a country where the President himself continues to alert that
his country reeks of corrupt people and that the government is broke to
the extent it cannot pay cabinet ministers?
“Is the President not directly advising investors against having
confidence in Nigeria and the system, and that they risk not being paid
for jobs awarded by government at any level?
“More worrisome is the fact that Mr. President most times, makes his
damaging comments in international fora with potential investors in
attendance to the extent that reminds one of the proverbial father who, in
the presence of potential suitors, often portrays his daughters as wayward
and yet constantly complain of their inability to find husbands.
“Indeed, this is not the way to go, Nigeria is a country blessed with
abundant human and natural resources. What we need at the moment is a
serious, innovative and practical approach with the capacity to harness
the resources and create wealth for the benefit of all, instead of an
apparently laidback scapegoat tactics with outworn excuses and unhelpful
comments.
“May we remind Mr. President that even in the darkest period of our
economic challenges, successive administrations made efforts in steadying
the economy, while always reassuring our citizens and the international
community of the strength and economic potentials of our great nation.
“We know that in the desperation to cover its apparent lack of economic
plan, this administration has positioned cabinet ministers, upon
inauguration to concentrate on diversionary blame game on the past PDP
administration. But even this political deceit cannot combat the
unpalatable consequences of Mr. President’s damaging utterances on the
image of the nation and its economy.
“Finally, we wish to remind the President and those around him that
Nigerians, by the 2015 elections, have committed the fate of the country
in his hands for the next four years and are not willing to accept excuses
for any economic failures under his watch,” the PDP said.