Excuses Won’t Renew The Hope Of Nigerians’ Amid Economic Struggles – Salihu Lukman

Salihu Lukman, former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressive Congress APC, slammed President Bola Tinubu for making excuses about the current hardship in the country.

Lukman emphasized the need for APC leaders, including Tinubu, to acknowledge responsibility for past shortcomings rather than blaming former President Muhammadu Buhari

Recall that a few weeks ago, Ogun state governor Dapo Abiodun and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu asserted that President Tinubu inherited a financially distressed country and an administration on the verge of collapse

The former Director General of APC  Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) emphasized that instead of blaming Buhari, APC leaders, including Tinubu, should shoulder responsibility for the former president’s shortcomings.

He urged them to take the initiative to enhance the well-being of Nigerians.

The APC chieftain urged Tinubu to acknowledge that the prevailing hardship is mainly a result of fuel subsidy removal and floating the Naira without adequate planning.

Lukman cautioned that giving excuses undermines the APC government’s ability to “Renew the Hope” of Nigerians.

The statement reads, “As members and leaders of the APC, we should take responsibility and take the needed initiative to make life better for all Nigerians. If anything, we should justify the confidence of Nigerians in giving us the mandate to continue to rule the country even after being unable to meet the expectations of Nigerians in many respects.

“Unarguably, Nigerians voted for the APC and President Tinubu in the last general elections very consciously and confident that under the leadership of President Tinubu, the challenges facing the country will be addressed.

“Excuses would only confirm that we are in denial that a government produced by our party is perhaps responsible for Nigeria’s challenges. Once we are in denial, it also suggests that we are going to grandstand when we initiate actions that worsen the situation or fail to initiate actions to resolve the problem.

“This will simply mean being dishonest, which will narrow our responses to making excuses for our failure or inability to meet the expectations of Nigerians. This must be avoided. It is quite worrisome that coming from a party envisioned to be progressive we are giving excuses. How can we Renew the Hope of Nigerians by giving excuses? We must appeal to our leaders to stop giving excuses and take responsibility.

“If we are to be responsible, we should admit that the current hardship facing Nigerians is largely a product of two critical decisions taken by the government of President Tinubu. The two decisions are the withdrawal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the Naira against other major currencies. No doubt, these are very necessary decisions and President Tinubu deserved every commendation for those bold decisions.

“part of what is very glaring is that the decisions were taken by the government without proper planning. Withdrawing subsidies without addressing the question of what needs to be done to guarantee local production, we are bound to have the current mess of skyrocketed increases in the prices of petroleum products. Similarly, floating the Naira against other major currencies without taking the needed steps to reduce imports will also produce what we have today whereby the value of the Naira is permanently on a downward slide.

“Concerning local production of fuel, there have been so many references in recent times about repairs of refineries and commencement of production by Dangote refinery. Where are we with all these should the information come from our leaders and not excuses?

“For President Tinubu to earn the trust of Nigerians, he must first and foremost accept that as APC leader, he is equally responsible for the failure of former President Buhari.

“Rather than giving excuses, we should be telling Nigerians what we are doing to address their problems. However, being an APC government, which succeeded a previous APC government, it is disrespectful to Nigerians to give excuses about the current state of harsh living conditions in Nigeria by blaming previous governments.”

Kanyi Daily recalls that Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, said that Nigeria was on the brink of collapse when Bola Tinubu assumed office.