Abati: Buhari peddling falsehood on economy

Reuben Abati, presidential spokesman, has accused Muhammadu Buhari, a former head of state, of distorting the truth in his comments during his declaration of interest to seek APC’s nomination for the 2015 presidential election.

Buhari had accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of polarising Nigeria and mismanaging the country’s resources.

“The last 16 years of PDP Government has witnessed decline in all critical sectors of life in Nigeria. APC is resolved to stop them in their tracks and rescue Nigeria from the stranglehold of PDP,” he had said.

However, Abati (pictured) described the statement as false.

He said Buhari’s comments were based on sectional interest and mocked him for indicating interest in the coming election, after declaring that 2011 was his last attempt of seeking elective office.

“Statistics and rankings from the National Bureau of Statistics, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other international economic agencies give the lie to General Buhari’s claims on the state of the Nigerian economy,” he said in a statement.

“As is well known, available figures, statistics and ratings show that the Nigerian economy has consistently maintained an unprecedented growth rate of 6-7% under the Jonathan administration.

“They also show that the Nigerian economy is now the leading economy in Africa and the 26th largest in the world with a gross domestic product of over $500 billion per annum.

“The retired General is free to renege on his well-publicized pledge not to seek elective office as he has done, but we urge him to conduct his presidential campaign with greater regard for the truth.

“We also urge him to eschew unbecoming false accusations against others like a true elder statesman and to focus his campaign on more original ideas for the promotion of peace, stability, unity and progress in our beloved nation.”

He added that Buhari had nothing to offer the country and that Jonathan would not allow comments of such nature affect his delivery.

“Despite the other false accusations General Buhari made against the President who he clearly fears to take on in an honest, issues-driven presidential election contest, President Jonathan will continue to carry forward his transformation agenda in the power sector and other areas,” he said.

“The President will not be discouraged or deterred from his objective of repositioning Nigeria for accelerated and inclusive socio-economic development by the partisan and jaundiced views of power seekers like General Buhari who cannot see the obvious results of the current administration’s efforts through their blinkered eyes.

“We also draw the attention of Nigerians to the total lack of originality in the hackneyed manifesto offered to Nigerians yesterday by the APC Presidential aspirant. All that General Buhari promises to do are already being done by the Jonathan Administration to the acclaim of ordinary Nigerians and there is no evidence before Nigerians that the APC leader and his acolytes can do them better.”