Obaseki attacks Tinubu administration to draw attention away from his subpar performance, says information minister

Governor Obaseki attacks the Tinubu administration to draw attention away from his subpar performance in Edo, according to the information minister.

The Nigerian government has criticised Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, claiming that he is criticising President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies and decisions regarding the elimination of fuel subsidies and the reform of the foreign exchange market in order to divert attention away from his alleged subpar performance in his state.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor, Governor Obaseki, was warned by the federal government that elections are over and that he should exhibit more statesmanship in a statement signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris.

Clarifying certain narratives is crucial for a more informed public discourse, according to the minister, who noted that the federal government’s response was based on a statement attributed to Obaseki and published by ThisDay Newspaper on Thursday.

The statement attributed to the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, that was featured as the lead front page story in ThisDay Newspaper today (Thursday, August 24, 2023) did not come as a surprise, according to Idris. To ensure an informed public discourse, it is necessary to make certain narratives clear.

“Since switching to the Peoples Democratic Party, Governor Obaseki has recently turned his attention away from his subpar performance at the state level and towards the economic problems facing the country. Although it is common for leaders to hold opposing opinions, it is important to base discussion on observable outcomes and to connect criticism to reality.

“Governor Obaseki’s remarks regarding the APC-led Federal Government’s decisions on fuel subsidy and foreign exchange market reforms may have neglected the bigger picture of the economy.

It is well known that Nigerians, State Governors from opposing political parties, and international organisations like the World Bank and IMF, along with numerous economic experts, have consistently argued for the elimination of fuel subsidies due to the fiscal distortions and burden they have caused on the economy.

“This burden includes many months of the NNPC’s zero accretion to the Federation account, which left states and local governments with less money from FAAC due to payment for fuel subsidies, which the national oil company regularly charged to the Federation account.

“For context, Edo State, under Governor Obaseki’s leadership, has significantly benefited from the removal of fuel subsidies, which is evident in the more than doubling of the FAAC allocation to Edo State between June and July 2023 – more than it had ever received prior to the removal of fuel subsidies.

“Our recommendation is to. The emphasis should be on how the Edo State Government will use the resources at its disposal to drive impactful projects that genuinely uplift the people of Edo State rather than diving into narratives that don’t give the whole picture.

“On a national level, President Tinubu makes decisions based on wisdom, with the main goal of constructing a robust and sustainable economy. Within the National Economic Council, where important economic decisions are made, this vision is frequently echoed.

“We want to make it very clear that Edo State, along with the other 35 States and the FCT, can access more FAAC revenue thanks only to the brave and audacious economic decisions made by President Bola Tinubu since he took office.

These choices have received praise from people all over the world because they were necessary to reposition the national economy for increased output. We continue to be baffled as to what could have prompted Governor Obaseki to level such flagrantly false accusations against the Federal Government.

In accordance with the Constitution, Governor Obaseki is a member of the National Economic Council (NEC), where important decisions on the issues he raised in his media address were made by his colleagues while they were seated in council with the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima.

“Even though Governor Obaseki will have to explain to the people of his state why he missed the two NEC meetings held during the current administration, we would like to let him know that his colleagues applauded President Tinubu for having the guts to get rid of the ghost of fuel subsidies, which had for years crippled the finances of the three tiers of government. In order to contribute ideas and support the group’s vision, it would be beneficial if Governor Obaseki attended these meetings.

Contrary to the false impression that Governor Obaseki is trying to convey, the council made significant decisions at the most recent NEC meeting, which took place last week, regarding a number of interventions to assist households.

“Among the decisions was the approval of the immediate disbursement of N5 billion to each of the states for the purpose of purchasing food items for later distribution to families, while the states work to clean up the social registers in preparation for cash transfers that will benefit up to 20 million of the most vulnerable Nigerians.

“The NEC also established a committee to negotiate a new national minimum wage with the labour unions and the general upward review of salaries for public sector workers as part of plans to address the rising cost of living and assist working people in maintaining a respectable standard of living.

The provision of 11,500 CNG-powered mass transit vehicles, the provision of fertilisers to farmers, and assistance to farmers in cultivating 500,000 hectares of arable land to plant staple crops for human consumption and industrial use are all ongoing plans, in addition to this.

“The Federal Government is working very hard with the states and local governments to bring relief to our people. The Federal Government is aware of the current challenges Nigerians are experiencing. Our nation is going through a very difficult time under President Tinubu’s leadership.

“We have a strong sense that we are about to enter a prosperous period. What is needed right now is for leaders at all levels to work together cooperatively to improve the lives of Nigerians, rather than to engage in cheap politics that accomplish nothing more.

“Politics and politicking are no longer necessary, as President Tinubu has warned. Now is the time to start working on building a stronger, more viable, socially cohesive, and more prosperous Nigeria.