By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu has been asked to resign if he is unable to bring succour to the citizens, who are suffering economic hardship over the policies of the government.
On his assumption of office on May 28, 2023, Mr Tinubu announced an end to subsidies on petrol and a few weeks later, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) unified the exchange rate and devalued the Naira.
Since these duo policies, the prices of goods and services have continued to rise, with the Naira weakening from N461/$1 in the official market in June 2023 to N1,537/$1 at the close of business on Friday, February 16, 2024.
The tough economic situation in the country has caused several businesses, both big and small, to fold up, and citizens are struggling to survive because of rising inflation, which jumped by 29.90 per cent in January 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
On Monday, governors elected on the platform of the nation’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the administration of Mr Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was turning Nigeria into another Venezuela.
“The cost of living is skyrocketing, and we are almost on the road to becoming like Venezuela.
“So, we are offering concrete opposition without insulting anybody.
“Ultimately, the decision rests squarely with Nigerians and other organs in the country to ensure that we take actions that will bring relief to all of us,” the governors said through the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Mr Bala Mohammed.
The next day, governors of the APC, led by Mr Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, knocked on the doors of their opposing colleagues, urging them not to incite the people against Mr Tinubu.
“As leaders, mere criticism or even playing to the gallery for public applause is not the way to go. Engaging in blame games is also not the way to go.
“All of us are members of the National Economic Council, where we have the opportunity to give our input. I don’t think my colleagues have exhausted that avenue,” the APC governors said.
Responding over the weekend, the Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Mr Cyril Maduabum, called for the resignation of President Tinubu if he was overwhelmed by the many challenges facing Nigeria and Nigerians.
“Hardship and suffering being faced by Nigerians have no tribal, religious, or party colouration. A hungry man is an angry man.
“While all tiers of government have a role to play, the APC-led federal government has a disproportionate role to play in mobilising Nigerians and all organs and tiers of government for sustainable solutions.
“If it cannot do so or is unable to do so, it should graciously throw in the towel.
“Attempts by the Minister of Information, the APC Governors’ Forum, and other officials of the federal government who criticised the PDP Governors’ Forum for their patriotic intervention should be guided by the fact that the APC sought power to solve the problems of Nigeria, not to compound them, shift blame, grandstand, or use propaganda to obfuscate or confuse issues.
“PDP governed states are comparatively the best in Nigeria in terms of developmental policies, programmes, and projects that benefit their states positively, such as regular payment of salaries, pensions, gratuities, and the minimum wage to their workforce.
“State governments that are delinquent on these issues are not of PDP extraction. It is false to say so.
“Even the food crises are exacerbated by insecurity and high exchange rate issues, among others, which are largely federal subjects.
“The PDP governors, as stakeholders in governance, would continue to work collaboratively with Mr. President to find lasting solutions to a very difficult situation created or exacerbated by the APC since 2015. We believe in cooperative federalism.
“The buck ultimately stops at Mr President’s table as the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria, the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation, and the Chief Salesman and leader of Nigeria.
“We are not in doubt that he is trying his best. We only hope and pray that his best is good enough to take Nigeria out of the woods in the shortest possible time,” the PDP governors stated.
Adedapo Adesanya