Nigerians trust Buhari, president’s spokesperson replies Jonathan

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8 years ago

Jonathan and Buhari

Jonathan and Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has responded to a jibe thrown by his predecessor in office, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, to the effect that those who protested his hike of petrol pump price to N97 in 2012 have remained quiet even though the present administration sky rocketed it to N145 per litre.

The president maintained on Friday that people did not protest his increase of fuel pump price because they trusted him.

Special Adviser to the president, Femi Adesina, made this position known in a tweet on his verified twitter handle @FemAdesina.

ALSO READ: APC a govt of lies, propaganda, says Jonathan

The former president had on Thursday in Abuja while receiving Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairmanship candidate, Professor Tunde Adeniran, observed that his administration was severely criticized for increasing fuel pump price from N67 to N97 at a time the global crude price was over $100.

He said those who criticized him then have remained quiet now as the price was raised to N145 per litre at a time the global crude price is about $53.

Jonathan stated: “My government was severely criticized for increasing the pump price of petroleum from N67 to N97 at a time that global crude price was going for over 100 dollars.

“The pump price was later reduced to N87 when the price of crude oil dropped and they attacked us that it was supposed to be lower.

“Those who criticised my administration are not talking again now that the global crude oil is about 53 dollars per barrel and the pump price of petrol is N143.”

But in his response, the presidential spokesman, without naming Jonathan by name, said Nigerians did not protest the Buhari administration’s fuel price increase and shut down the country like they did under a Jonathan because they trusted Buhari.

“When petrol went to N145 under PMB, Nigerians held their peace, unlike when they shut the country in 2012. The difference is trust. Simple,” he tweeted.

Jonathan had also accused the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) of running the government with lies and propaganda, saying that the Buhari administration has achieved virtually nothing.

He said: “The PDP administration for 16 did well and will continue to do well. But this administration has done nothing, the administration is full lies and propaganda whereas the PDP in its 16 years in office did remarkable well.

Speaking on PDP’s achievement, Jonathan added: “In the power sector, we did well to revive it, a certain state governor criticized our government, saying that any serious government should be able to fix the power sector within six months. But today, the APC has been in power for how many years? Fortunately, the then governor is in the APC Government as a Minister.”

The former president had expressed optimism that with the way people were embracing the PDP, it was still an acceptable political platform.

He added: “With the rate at which people are coming around to associate with a party that lost elections, it shows that the people still believe in the PDP.

“With the number and calibre of the people coming out to vie for the seat of the national chairman and other offices of our party, it shows that our party still has another chance.”