Emmanuel OchayiFormer APC National Vice Chairman for the North-west, Salihu Lukman, has expressed concerns about deteriorating living conditions of Nigerians and the alarming increase in poverty levels due to economic policies of President Bola Tinubu.
In an open letter titled “Disturbing Signals: An Open Letter to President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Lukman criticized many of the decisions made by the President since assuming office, especially pertaining to policy initiatives and the exchange rate issue.
He pointed out that decisions related to the exchange rate should ideally be integrated into the broader economic policy of the government. However, Lukman noted that it seems an isolated decision has been taken to float the Naira without a clear economic strategy.
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“Consequently, the Naira’s value has been declining, and coupled with the removal of subsidy leading to increased transportation costs, the economy is facing significant inflationary pressures. As a result, the overall living conditions in the country are worsening, and there are concerns that poverty rates could exceed reasonable expectations if the current trajectory continues.”
Lukman also expressed dissatisfaction over the appointment of Dr. Abdulahi Ganduje, the former Governor of Kano State, as the National Chairman of the APC. He argued that the choice sends a disconcerting signal regarding President Tinubu’s commitment to tackling corruption.
Additionally, Lukman expressed disappointment with the quality of ministerial nominees put forth by President Tinubu, believing that these appointments have dashed the hopes of Nigerians for effective governance.
He said: “The third disturbing signal is the quality of your appointees. Sincerely, Your Excellency, throughout the 2023 electoral campaigns, one of the strong campaign points was that you know how to find talents. When it took you more than eight weeks to nominate your Ministers, the belief was that you are taking your time to identify indisputably proficient people.
“With due respect to all those you nominated, many party members and by extension, Nigerians were disappointed. It is clear to any discerning minds that political consideration eclipsed any other factor, definitely, no argument about talent can be sustained. As it is, both as party members and as Nigerians, our expectation from your government has crashed.”
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