Gov Mutfwang: Buhari Sold Nigeria’s Future

CalebMutfwang,thegovernorofPlateauState,chargedformerPresidentMuhammaduBuharionMondaywithbeingthecauseofNigerians’currenteconomicsuffering. Inparticular,Mutfwangstated,“Wesoldourfutureunderthelastadministration.” AttheGovernmentHouseinJosonMonday,thegovernordeliveredremarksduringtheinductionof22SpecialAdvisersandheadsofgovernmentdepartments.

Weareinaverychallengingmomentinthisnation’shistory,andIstronglybelievethatyoushouldputpoliticsasideandfocusongovernancefollowingtheelection. “AndIoweittoNigerianstotellthemthetruth—thatthisgovernmentinheritedaworsesituationthan1999—eventhoughtheFederalGovernmentisledbyapartyotherthanmyown.” Buharisaid,Mutfwang.

“ThisgovernmentinheritedaneconomywherewesimplyprinteduptoN30trillionandshared,”thespeakerstated.Theeconomythisgovernmenttookoverwaspredicatedonthesaleofcrudeoilthathadnotyetbeenextractedfromtheground. Thus,it’snotcomplicatedtodiscussthedepreciationofthenaira.

Underthepreviousadministration,wesoldourfuture. Hesaysthisexplainsthewidespreadlootingoffoodstoresandwarehousesacrossthenationandthehungerthatexists. “Itmakessensethatpeopleareinterceptingfoodonthewayandcausingriotstoday. Ontheplateau,wearefortunatetopossiblyhaveaccesstomorefoodthanmanyotherstates.

“AndIhopethattherewon’tbeafoodriotofthismagnitudeonthePlateau,butinthemeantime,weneedtorollupoursleevesandgettowork.That’swhy,asagovernment,whenweannouncedoneofthepositionsthataddressedfoodsecurity,peoplelaughed,butit’saseriousissue,”hesaid. Mutfwangwentontosaythathisgovernmentintendstoestablisha$300millionspecialagro-processingzoneintheBarkinLadiLocalGovernmentAreaincollaborationwiththeAfricanDevelopmentBank.

Forthebenefitofthepeople,heurgedthenewappointeestoassisttheadministrationinturningaroundthestate’sunpleasantcircumstances,notingthatthePlateaupeoplehadalreadyenduredenoughdistraction. YouareawareoftheviolenceonthePlateau. “It’stimetosayenoughisenough,”hecontinued.

PresidentBolaTinubu’sadministrationinheritedanemptytreasuryupontakingofficeafewmonthsago,whichisthedirectcauseofthefinancialhardshipcurrentlyafflictingthenation,accordingtoNationalSecurityAdviserNuhuRibadu.

Ribaduassuredthecountrythatthefederalgovernmentwasdedicatedtopreservingastrongandfunctionaldefensemanagementandmechanism,despiteacknowledgingtheseverefinancialconstraintsimpactingbudgetaryallocations. Inthemeantime,thenationisexperiencingafoodcrisisandskyrocketingpricesforgoodsandservices,whichhasresultedinfoodstoresandwarehousesalloverthenationbeinglooted.