The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has again rejected claims that the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan was responsible for the economic recession currently confronting Nigeria.
Reacting to recent comments attributed to Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, described the allegation as misplaced, insisting that the economic challenges facing the country should not be blamed on the previous administration.
Adeyeye, in a statement issued on behalf of the party, argued that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government should accept responsibility for the state of the economy and concentrate on finding solutions rather than repeatedly blaming its predecessor.
According to him, the economic situation was already showing signs of pressure before the change of government, but the Jonathan administration had taken measures aimed at strengthening the economy and preparing the country for external shocks.
The PDP spokesman cited comments attributed to the President of the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Larry Ettah, who reportedly expressed concern over what he described as a lack of clarity in the economic direction of the new administration.
Adeyeye argued that uncertainty surrounding government policies could have serious consequences for businesses, investment and employment, particularly at a time when the country was already dealing with declining oil prices and pressure on foreign exchange.
He further maintained that the Jonathan administration had attempted to introduce reforms in the petroleum sector and strengthen the country’s financial position through increased savings and the establishment of the Sovereign Wealth Fund.
According to the PDP, some of those who opposed those measures at the time, including state governors, later became members of the APC-led Federal Government.
Adeyeye also defended the economic performance of the Jonathan administration, pointing to what he described as relatively strong macroeconomic fundamentals and growth in the non-oil sector.
He noted that Nigeria recorded average real GDP growth of about five per cent during the period, with agriculture and other non-oil sectors playing an increasingly important role in the economy.
The PDP spokesman also cited the administration’s agricultural policies, arguing that increased local production of rice and other food commodities helped reduce the country’s dependence on imports and eased pressure on foreign exchange.
He specifically referred to the reduction in Nigeria’s food import bill, saying the figure had fallen from more than N1 trillion to about N684.7 billion by December 2013.
Adeyeye further argued that the Jonathan administration had embarked on reforms in infrastructure, agriculture, technology and youth entrepreneurship as part of efforts to diversify the economy away from excessive dependence on crude oil.
He cited programmes such as Youth Enterprise with Innovation (YouWin) and the Nagropreneur initiative as examples of schemes designed to encourage young Nigerians to participate in entrepreneurship and agriculture.
The PDP also linked the development of Nigeria’s technology ecosystem to initiatives established under the previous administration, including ICT incubation centres in Lagos and Calabar.
Adeyeye said such investments helped create an environment that later attracted international attention, including the visit of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to the Co-Creation Hub in Yaba, Lagos.
He also defended the fiscal policies of the Jonathan administration, saying the government did not simply ignore the consequences of falling oil prices.
According to him, the administration developed a scenario-based fiscal framework to respond to different levels of volatility in the international oil market after crude prices began to decline.
The PDP spokesman consequently dismissed the argument that the previous administration failed to anticipate the economic difficulties that eventually emerged.
He maintained that the party would have preferred the APC-led government to concentrate on presenting its economic scorecard and outlining practical measures for reviving the economy instead of continuously referring Nigerians to the past.
Adeyeye recalled that some politicians had previously blamed inherited financial difficulties on their predecessors, noting that the recurring blame game would not provide solutions to the country’s economic challenges.
He said Nigerians were more interested in policies capable of improving their living conditions, creating jobs, attracting investment and strengthening the value of the naira.
The PDP therefore urged the Federal Government to seek the contributions of experienced economists and professionals, irrespective of their political affiliations, in addressing the recession.
According to Adeyeye, the priority at the time should be finding practical solutions to the economic crisis rather than engaging in political recriminations.
He concluded by calling on the APC-led administration to look beyond partisan considerations and work with relevant experts to restore confidence in the Nigerian economy.
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