The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday, May 25, 2015 faulted the claims of the vice president-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, as regards the state of the country’s economy.
The party specifically refuted the claims by Osinbajo on the correct status of the nation’s government debt stock.
In a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, PDP alleged that the misinterpretation was part of a ploy by the incoming All Progressives Congress,APC, administration to drag their party to the mud.
Metuh criticised the Vice President-elect for failing to be bold and honest enough to also inform the nation that the bulk of the $63.7bn debt was incurred by APC states.
He said, “It is indeed unfortunate that the Vice President-elect, who has the details of the debt stock, chose to be economical with the truth and to mislead Nigerians just to discredit the current PDP-led administration and rationalise APC’s unpreparedness for governance.
“Prof. Osinbajo is aware that the $63.7bn is made up of external and domestic debts belonging not only to the Federal Government but to federal and state governments and accumulating since the 1960s. Yet, he deliberately misrepresented the facts to give the unsuspecting public the impression that the amount was exclusively incurred by the current Federal Government.
“Perhaps the Vice President-elect avoided the details so as not to expose the fact that the APC-controlled Lagos State has the highest external debt stock of $1,169billion as well as the highest domestic debt stock of N278.86 billion.
“Furthermore we find it unacceptable and unstatesmanly for the Vice President-elect to attempt to mislead Nigerians into believing that the total federal debt component was accumulated under the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration, when it is on record that a greater chunk of the amount was inherited.
“The APC must fulfill its promises for which Nigerians voted for them. Were they not aware of the debt stock and the dwindling oil revenues before making their huge promises to the people? Were the promises only intended as carrots to mislead the people and deceitfully win their votes after which they are dumped?”
The party further explained that it was disappointing for Osibanjo to attempt to mislead Nigerians with lies that the total federal debt component was accumulated under President Jonathan’s administration.
