The “hunger” by Nigerians today is caused by the havoc wreaked on the nation’s economy by the previous administrations of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has said.
“They said you are hungry,” Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, said on Friday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, during the flag-off of the APC election campaign.
“You are hungry because they stole the money. If the money was here, you wouldn’t have been hungry.”
Mr Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers is the director general of President Muhammadu Buhari re-election campaign.
Mr Buhari, accompanied by the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole; a national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, and some of the APC governors, was in Uyo to flag off the party’s campaign for the 2019 general elections.
Mr Buhari is seeking a second term in office.
Mr Amaechi said corruption is one of Nigeria’s major problem, and that Mr Buhari was not giving up on the anti-corruption fight.
“We got in and saw the challenges. We never knew they had stolen all the money. We thought they had a conscience to leave some money behind.
“You know, the difference between us and the other party (PDP) is that they are not saying that they are not corrupt,” the minister said
“They say we are corrupt, but APC is also corrupt. They agree that the president is not corrupt. What they are saying is those around the president are corrupt. But they agree that they are corrupt.
“We are saying as APC that we are not corrupt and that we are fighting corruption. Whether you are APC or PDP, when you are corrupt we will fight you.”
He cautioned Nigerians against voting for PDP in the 2019 elections.
“If you vote for the other party, let me tell you what will happen. They are so hungry that if they come out, they will be too busy stealing money that by the time Nigerians realise it, we are back to recession.”
Mr Amaechi said President Buhari did not promise to make the value of naira equal to a dollar, nor promised to reduce the price of petrol.
“Anybody who said we promised one naira will be to one dollar must be a magician. Anybody who said we promised we were going to bring down fuel price must also be a magician.
“We are not voodoo economists,” he said.
The minister added, “When we got in, we were mindful of the promises that we made. So, the president gave all us who were in the cabinet challenges to ensure that we rescue this country.
“We commenced activities believing that Nigerians would know that change doesn’t come that easily. Even as ministers we feel the pain of change. We know that when you want to make any change you must realise that it will come with some pain.
“We are here asking you to learn the fact that we need another chance to complete the assignment you have given to us. And we will complete it as soon as you give us that chance to come back.”
This is not the first time the ruling party will be blaming the PDP for the woes of the nation.
But ironically, many of the current APC leaders, including Mr Amaechi, were the ones running the past PDP-led administrations in the country.
During the event, the APC handed over flags to its governorship candidates in the South-south region.
