Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has lamented Nigeria’s current debt status and level of poverty in the country claiming that there is no reason the masses in Nigeria should be battling extreme poverty when the Country is blessed with an abundance of resources.
Atiku, in his Independence Day statement on Friday, October 01, 2021 said it was regrettable that despite the nation’s vast oil resources, extreme poverty and joblessness have remained persistent.
“as head of the National Economic Council in 2006, under the leadership of ex-President Obasanjo, we paid off Nigeria’s entire debt. It thus breaks my heart to see that after that sacrifice, Nigeria in the last 4 years returned to being a heavily indebted extremely poor nation”.
“There is no excuse that 61 years after independence, extreme poverty is still staring the ordinary citizen in the face,” he lamented.
The former vice president called on the Government at all levels to push policies that would lead to improved standards of living for the average Nigerian.
“If this is done, I am confident that the future ahead of us will be brighter and better,” he stated.
Atiku also urged Nigerian leaders at all levels to make the nation’s democracy work for all through justice, equity, fairness and equal spread of development across the country.
He advocated for bipartisan initiatives by political leaders to address the spate of insecurity compounded by joblessness and poor living conditions.
While submitting that the country has come a long way, he urged Nigerians not to surrender to the besetting challenges.
The chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was of the opinion that citizens must work together in truth and justice, to overcome the challenges as a stronger and more united Country.
Atiku’s statement comes on the heels of President Buhari’s full independence speech in which he (Buhari) said since 1999, no Government has done what the present administration has accomplished in six years.
President Buhari, in his early morning broadcast, stated that since coming to power, his administration has tackled Nigeria’s problems “head-on in spite of the meagre resources”.
He added that a lot has been achieved in the last six years on many fronts – “in infrastructure, social care, governance, Nigeria’s image and influence in Africa and the international community.”
The President reiterated that his Government has done a lot to put Nigeria back on track, and assured that his administration would continue to serve the country, especially by listening to all and protecting her democracy and unity.
