POLITICS
Loans: We Invested in Critical Infrastructure—APC Replies PDP
By Jude Opara, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday mocked the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the party is jittery over its alleged 40 million membership base. The ruling party also said the PDP is panicked due to its dwindling fortunes with its members, including state governors leaving the party in droves and joining the APC.
A statement by the National Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Sen.
John Akpanudoedehe also replied the PDP over the recent allegation that the government was borrowing money that could not be accounted for. The APC said the federal government and states it controls are busy providing critical infrastructure and not pocketing the money, as alleged by the PDP governors.“We are expanding access to education, providing health facilities and economically empowering citizens.
“On their parts, PDP governors have prioritized their frequent weekend jamborees, the recent held in Akwa Ibom state where they waste scarce state resources. Some of these PDP governors are owing workers salaries and have refused to pay pensioners. The case of Benue and Taraba states stands out,” the statement said.
Recall that a communique by the PDP governors at the end of the meeting on Monday in Uyo queried loans procured by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
But Akpanudoedehe said; “If the APC government has taken loans, it has been invested in visible infrastructure projects across the country as opposed to past PDP administrations where loans were diverted to private pockets.
“The President Buhari government from inception took a good, progressive, patriotic and apolitical decision to complete the abandoned projects and Nigerians have been the ultimate beneficiaries.
“The PDP federal government failed to complete the Abuja-Kaduna railway line, which the President Buhari government completed and commissioned for the benefit of Nigerians.
“PDP needs to be reminded that It was because of its failures that Nigerians rejected it twice, in 2015 and 2019. This loss is obviously still haunting the PDP and has caused disarray within its ranks and created irreconcilable divisions.
“At this point, PDP’s rudderless leadership should deal with the crisis of confidence it suffers. Our democracy deserves a credible opposition which the PDP has woefully failed to provide. Other parties must now rise to the occasion and play the crucial role of opposition.”
The APC further claimed that the task of clearing the alleged PDP rot is not a walk in the park considering the level of decay the nation sunk into under their watch.
POLITICS
Assembly Passes Edo N675bn 2025 Budget for Assent
The Edo House of Assembly on Monday passed the state 2025 budget of N675 billion for assent.
The passage followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Budget and Project Monitoring at plenary in Benin.
Presenting the report, the chairman of the committee, Sunday Fada, (PDP Esan Central) said the budget was made up of N225 billion recurrent expenditure and N451 billion capital expenditure.
Fada noted that the committee came up with the increase in the budgetary allocation to enable the governor carry out his five points agenda in the state.
The House at the committee of Supply, considered the budget clause by clause and subsequently, approved the increase from N605.
7 billion to N675 billion.The Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, thereafter directed Mr Yahaya Omogbai, the clerk of the house to forward clean copies of the budget to the governor for his assent. (NAN)
POLITICS
Poverty, Behind Deadly Stampedes Across Nigeria, says Falana
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, on Sunday attributed the deadly stampede that claimedmore than 105 lives in stampedes during food and cash distribution events to “poverty-induced neoliberal economic policies” and “criminal negligence.
”In a statement released on Sunday, Falana, who chairs the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond ASCAB, demanded justice for victims of the tragic events, saying, “These tragic events are a national shame, the victims were not just statistics but human beings driven to desperation by systemic poverty and the gross incompetence of those entrusted with their safety.
”On December 21, 12 people died and 32 others were injured in Okija, Anambra State, during a scramble for rice distributed by a philanthropist.
On the same day, a stampede at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals, including children, as over 3,000 people jostled for palliatives.
Just two days prior, on December 19, 35 children lost their lives in a stampede at a Christmas funfair at an Islamic High School, Basorun. in Ibadan, Oyo State.
“The loss of these innocent lives is heart-wrenching,” Falana lamented.
“It underscores the indignity that poverty imposes on our people.”
Falana also criticized the elite for their treatment of the poor during such events, stating, “No member of the elite invites others to lunch by throwing the food,” and condemned what he termed “class prejudice” in the distribution of humanitarian aid.
He also announced plans to mobilize lawyers to pursue civil suits against the organizers of these events.
“We will ensure survivors and families of the deceased are adequately compensated,” Falana affirmed. “Those responsible for these avoidable tragedies must be held accountable.”
POLITICS
2025 budget: LP Chieftain Lauds Tinubu for Diving Priority to Security, Others
Dr Ayo Olorunfemi, National Deputy Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) ,has commended President Bola Tinubu for giving priority to security and other key sectors in the 2025 Appropriation Bill .
Olorunfemi gave the commendation while speaking with newsmeon Thursday in Lagos.
NAN reports that the President had on Wednesday presented the N47.
9 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill , christened “Budget of Restoration, Securing Peace and Rebuilding Prosperity” , to a joint session of the National Assembly .The President listed highlights of the 2025 budget allocations to include: defense and security: N4.91 trillion; infrastructure: N4.06 trillion; Health: N2.
48 trillion and Education: N3.52 trillion.Reacting , Olorunfemi described security as an enabler of development.
He called on the President to ensure proper implementation ,saying budgets had always been well-crafted but usually lacked monitoring and implementation.
“There is nothing that can happen if there is no security. This is good if the budget is properly utilised for the purpose.
“Our problem is not about policies and budgets, it is about monitoring and implementation.
“There is nothing wrong in bringing a budget proposal forward in terms of expectation, what we want to do, how we want to do it, and how much we want to spend.
“Now, the most important thing is the implementation,, budgets in Nigeria have always been properly crafted,” the LP boss said.
Olorunfemi called on the President to build strong institutions to prevent sabotaging of his policies.
“If this government wants to do anything, it must wake up to the responsibility of monitoring policies and ensure severe penalty for anyone who attempts to sabotage such policies.
“We need institutions that no one will be able to interfere with. We must allow these institutions to work, that is what we expect.
“Once we have strong institutions, most of our problems are solved,” he said.
He also called on the President to take steps to address the problems experienced by Nigerians in the banking sector.
Olorunfemi decried the inability of many Nigerians to get cash at bank’s Automated Teller Machines and the high charges paid to get cash from Point of Sales (POS) operators.
The LP boss also urged the President to devise ways of ending multiple taxations and high fuel price, describing them as major causes of hardship .
Recalled that the President said that the budget was a demonstration of government’s commitment to stabilising the economy, improving lives and repositioning the country for greater performance.
He also said the budget sought to consolidate the key policies instituted to restructure the economy, boost human capital development, increase the volume of trade and investments and bolster oil and gas production. (NAN)