The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State has chided the All Progressives Congress (APC) for condemning the resolve of the state government to borrow N20 billion as evidence of its ignorance of simple management of the state economy in the time of economic crisis.
In a statement by the state publicity secretary, Mr Akeem Olatunji, on Wednesday, the PDP said the Oyo APC’s criticism of the borrowing showed political naivety and failure to understand current economic realities.
Noting that the state grappled with harsh and unpleasant economic realities, the Oyo PDP said the opposition’s criticism of borrowing N20 billion was out of sheer desperation to pull down Makinde’s government by all means.
The ruling PDP held that the intention of borrowing the money was simply due to the Makinde’s government resolve to improve critical sectors of the state and provide economic relief.
According to the PDP, the APC, when in power, plunged the state into N150 billion debt with nothing to show for it.
It also wondered why the opposition applauded the federal government for embarking on series of loans including a recent N850 billion yet was condemning the borrowing of N20 billion by the state.
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“Our attention has been drawn to a press statement credited to Oyo State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), where the opposition party in its usual smear campaign condemned a strategic and laudable move by the state government under Governor Seyi Makinde for seeking the approval of the state house of assembly to access a N20 billion loan with the aim of investing it in the state critical infrastructure and provide economic relief to safeguard our dear state from a worst economic implication arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Where was Oyo APC when the Federal Government under its watch claimed not less than N7.2 billion was disbursed to Nigerians without any iota of proof, where was APC when Mr President sought and got the approval of the national assembly for the loan of N850 billion, why was APC silent on explaining the over N150 billion its administration bequeathed to the present government, where is APC when just yesterday (Wednesday, May 20th) the FG declared another release of N623 Million for purchase of computers?
“We find the statement by any opposition extremely appalling, embarrassing, shameful and should be condemned by all economically sound-minded persons because such statement only shows the height of deceit, hypocrisy, and deliberate attempt to frustrate government’s efforts towards keeping the state on the path of post-COVID-19 economic recovery.
“It was on record that when the request for the said N20b loan was read on the floor of the house during the last plenary by the state assembly that is comprising of lawmakers representing different political parties, no objection was raised to decline such move that was described by the house as very important and timely.
“It is very commendable to note that the 9th Oyo assembly has continued to show apolitical judgement by always putting the state first ahead of partisan or personal interests leading to the approval of the executives’ request.
“We want to make it abundantly clear to the APC in the state to stop embarrassing the good people of our dear state before the world with the level of ignorance it has continued to show towards the management of the state economy particularly during this present time of unfriendly economic reality arising from a global pandemic.
“The least APC in Oyo State could have done in a time like this if it was still alive to its duty was to save us the embarrassment and wait for implementation before passing any judgment or make remarks if necessary.
“We are not perturbed by the Oyo APC’s unabated penchant for attacking governor Makinde, even when the governor recovered from the dreaded coronavirus infection, their desperation to pull him down, by all means, couldn’t keep them from attacking the governor for telling his people how he survived the disease and what measures were taken during his treatment as a means of educating the public.
“We are of the conclusion that attacking Makinde and his government has become an antidote for Oyo APC’s political misfortune but we urge them to play opposition with at least little sense of empathy for the people they desperately wish to govern again, and we insist that APC government in the last eight years be duly probed in order to ensure accountability as well as set the records straight on how APC led government managed to plunge the state into an all-time record of over N150 billion debt inherited by the present administration,” the statement read.