The presidential candidate of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has expressed dismay over the refusal of
the federal government to release fund to the National Bureau of Statistics
(NBS).
Atiku, who reacted to the lamentation of
Statistician General of the Federation, Mr. Yemi Kale, who said lack of fund
has made it difficult for the agency to
release the annual unemployment report that it is mandated to do by law.
The former vice president in a statement by his
campaign organisation said President Muhammadu Buhari administration is in a
state of panic because of the unprecedented unemployment numbers in Nigeria and
is desperate to hide that information from the public.
According to him, “If the Buhari administration can
afford ₦1.1 billion to fumigate the office of the National Security Adviser
(NSA) and if they can afford ₦3.5 million every month to feed Ibrahim El
Zakzaky, then they can afford to release funds for the NBS to perform its
statutory duty of releasing the country’s job report.”
Atiku said since Buhari administration came into
existence, 11 million Nigerians have lost their jobs, and in December of 2017,
the NBS under Yemi Kale, announced that 7.9 million Nigerians lost their jobs
in the 21 months period under review.
He added: “It is safe to draw the conclusion that
if the NBS had been funded and able to release the now due 2018 job reports,
the total figure of jobs lost under the present administration may climb higher
than the present 11 million jobs.
“Thus, we can understand why this failed
administration is desperate to cover up that information. However, the Atiku
Presidential Campaign Organisation insists that Nigerians deserve to know the
truth no matter how unpalatable it may be.”
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of Atiku
Abubakar Support Groups, Dr. Nath Iduma, has challenged members of the support
groups to ensure that Atiku wins convincingly in all polling units in order to
prevent the ruling party from rigging.
He made the call on Thursday in Abuja during an
interactive session by a coalition of support groups with the theme: ‘Turning
the popularity of Atiku/Obi into Electoral Success'.
He said: "Atiku/Obi came together by
providence and they are tested persons. I believe that if we have people that
can run government as they run business, then that government is going to
succeed.
"In Yola, Atiku has several investments, and
when both of them come together, the problem of the country which is
unemployment, will be well handled. Both of them who are business minded people
will run government like business. Unless we win this election with massive
vote, it is likely they are going to rig us out."
On his part, the National Youth Leader of the PDP,
Hon. S. K. Udeh Okoye, urged the youths to occupy the social media space,
confront the propaganda narratives of the APC and expose the values of the PDP presidential
candidate.
He said: "We have to divide ourselves into two
and confront the attackers and the promoters. One group must be attacking the
APC, telling how the APC has destroyed the country while the second group will
be promoting the achievements of Atiku and Obi.
"Our product Atiku is a good market, so we have
to sell him to Nigerians. Larger number of voters is not on the social media
but their influencers are in the social media. We should influence our people
who have registered to get their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).”
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