A pro-Buhari group, the Buhari Media Organization (BMO) Sunday night described as unpatriotic, illogical and crudely partisan the call by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Uche Secondus, for senators elected on the party platform to work against President Muhammadu Buhari’s loan requests at the National Assembly.
Secondus had during a reconciliatory meeting with the PDP caucus in the Senate last week told the lawmakers to reject President Buhari’s request for foreign loans in future.
He said: “We are also worried about the increasing borrowing by the executive arm of government. if things continue like this, Nigerians would be feeling the pains on their neck and It will get to a point the country would find it difficult to breathe politically and economically.
“So, this must come to an end, there must be an end to borrowing. Those are the issues we have asked our senators to raise in the Senate.”
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, respectively, the BMO argued that the PDP had asked its members to work against the interest of Nigeria with the call by its chairman.
It said: “The evil directive is formed from either the lack of understanding of the importance and necessity for the loans Nigeria is taking, or it is a deliberate lack of patriotism for partisanship sake.
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“Either or both, we can indeed see that the PDP leadership is confused, desperate and has no interest in the well-being of the Nigerian state.
“That incitement of its elected members by the PDP leadership is a subtle request for anarchist democracy. By asking its members at the National Assembly to adopt a position contrary to common sense and Nigeria’s interest, exposes the PDP as a party with zero-regard for the development, growth, and success of our country.
“It is this attitude they brought to governance when they held sway of the affairs of the country, leading to its near collapse.
“Opposition parties around the world are laying aside their partisanship and focusing on the more important issue of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic as one country, with one heart and in the interest of their countries. On the other hand, our opposition party is calling on its senators to work against the country, even at a time when the country needs everyone to put its loyalty to the country before the party.
“We are ashamed of Secondus and his likes. They are the few misguided Nigerians who give the majority a bad name. They place their biases and partisanship above what should matter most: country.”
According to the group, Nigeria was not taking loans because it was loan-hungry, but because the country did not have enough revenue to cater for critical expenditure.
It added: “With a pandemic hitting us, our earnings as a country has dipped. The President cannot sit back and fold his arms when there are no funds to cater for critical projects – especially during the pandemic.
“With the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria needs to pump money into the economy to galvanise productivity and enhance demand. The country’s revenue is down, consequently, it must borrow – the majority of countries around the world, facing the pandemic, have resorted to borrowing. It is the simple and logical thing to do. Moreso, Nigeria is creditworthy. Importantly, we are not borrowing to finance recurrent expenditures but to fund capital projects.”
The BMO urged PDP members in the Senate not to sacrifice their national assignment on the altar of partisanship.
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