The immediate past Minister/Deputy Chairman National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr. Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, has opposed the claims by President Muhammadu Buhari that his administration met an empty treasury.
Suleiman said former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s administration left behind US$2billion, adding that the amount would have been higher if the governors had not insisted on sharing the fund.
The former minister warned that Jonathan must not be painted as a plunderer and looter of the nation’s treasury before Nigerians.
In a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday, June 23, Suleiman described the report as “unscientific and unfair”.
“Government can’t tell us that there is no Excess Crude Account(ECA), Sovereign Wealth Fund(SWF) or are we saying the Federal Inland Revenue Service(FIR) and related agencies had not in the last one month been generating revenue? Until they are able to prove they had no receipts from these government agencies in the last one month before Nigerians can now buy into Mr. President’s claims of an empty treasury.”
“Money made by government is meant to be spent, and this the immediate past administration did responsibly. Every government, even in the so-called western world, including the US which today remains one of the largest debtor nations in the world, government operates on deficit.”
“Is it not on record that President Obama inherited US$3 triillion debt, a collapsed banking sector and mortgage industry,yet he never raised any alarm. None of these has happened in Nigeria under Jonathan. Under Jonathan,Nigeria became the largest Africa economy and 26th in the world amidst deadly security challenges and dwindling international prices of oil. In spite of all these, the FG never owed salary.”
“Upon inception of Jonatha’s administration, it is on record that the price of oil at the global stage was over 100 dollars per barrel and at the close of the administration, it dropped to 46dollars. Yet, there wasn’t collapse of government and federal civil servants were paid as at when due. It will be misleading therefore for our respected President Muhammadu Buhari and indeed the ruling APC to claim to have met an empty treasury.”
The ex-minister lack GNS, the presidency said ALMOST EMPTY because we ALL KNOWS what the late president umar yaradua left behind.
Who does this ex minister thinks he is, talking down on nigerians as if we are stupid! How on earth would he be comparing a well developed country like America with nigeria, is he insane? Whatever debt Bush left behind, at least all can see what he did with the money and he could pay salaries, roads are excellent, there is over supply of power and hosts of amenities at the disposal of even the most poorest person in America! So what is the basis of comparison here?
By the way, in what capacity is mr Abubakar defending Jonathan now? He should be busy in preparation for giving nigerians account of his stewardship as minister of national planning instead of defending who cant be defended! We will never stop talking about our plundered resources by Jonathan and his thieving team. You may not like it, but we careless! I will repeat it loud and clear that Jonathan plundered our resources, he is corrupt and was grossly incompetent and more!
Mr ex minister, i suppose you are a muslim. Please earn the reward of this holy month before you resume your pdp unrepentant lying tactics! We know the harm the pdp govt caused nigeria that is why we voted them out, we will nevr forget! So therfore, hold your peace.