A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Osita Okechukwu on Wednesday described a statement by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, over the 2016 budget as uncharitable and reckless.
Okechukwu was reacting to a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh in which the latter described the 2016 budget as presented to Nigerians by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, as “a big fraud.”
The APC chieftain said it was indecent of the PDP to tag a pro-masses budget as a fraud.
Okechukwu said he was at a loss, how a budget that sets out with N1.8bn for capital expenditure targeted on critical infrastructure, be classified as a fraud is the height of recklessness and deceit.
He explained that the President clearly stated how the administration intends to fund the Capital expenditure through loans.
According to him, President Buhari will have no difficulty gaining the confidence of lenders considering his high global rating.
Okechukwu said, “It is either PDP or their spokesman, Chief Olisa Metuh didn’t peruse Mr. President’s budget address before dishing out the tantrum.
“While one acknowledges criticism from the opposition, the best tradition requires that criticism should be constructive.
“One is of the considered view that the PDP has not come to terms with the havoc unbridled corruption and squander mania under former President Goodluck Jonathan did to the development of our country.
“PDP forgot that the billions it squandered via unbridled corruption and awful leakages made it impossible for the party to provide critical infrastructure in the last 16 years to Nigerians.
“Transparency and accountability is the key to the implementation of Buhari’s budget of change. History is a witness to what prudent administration can achieve with little resource.”
On the issue of the possibility of excessive taxation, Okechukwu said, “I don’t have fears that Buhari will engage in excessive taxation.
“He is a man of the people. As one said earlier, the bulk of the budget will be funded by plugging leakages in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
“For instance, under Colonel Hammeed Ali (retd), the Nigeria Customs Service will post more revenue and so is Federal Inland Revenue Service under Mr. Fowler. This is the change we are talking about.”
Okechukwu was reacting to a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh in which the latter described the 2016 budget as presented to Nigerians by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, as “a big fraud.”
The APC chieftain said it was indecent of the PDP to tag a pro-masses budget as a fraud.
Okechukwu said he was at a loss, how a budget that sets out with N1.8bn for capital expenditure targeted on critical infrastructure, be classified as a fraud is the height of recklessness and deceit.
He explained that the President clearly stated how the administration intends to fund the Capital expenditure through loans.
According to him, President Buhari will have no difficulty gaining the confidence of lenders considering his high global rating.
Okechukwu said, “It is either PDP or their spokesman, Chief Olisa Metuh didn’t peruse Mr. President’s budget address before dishing out the tantrum.
“While one acknowledges criticism from the opposition, the best tradition requires that criticism should be constructive.
“One is of the considered view that the PDP has not come to terms with the havoc unbridled corruption and squander mania under former President Goodluck Jonathan did to the development of our country.
“PDP forgot that the billions it squandered via unbridled corruption and awful leakages made it impossible for the party to provide critical infrastructure in the last 16 years to Nigerians.
“Transparency and accountability is the key to the implementation of Buhari’s budget of change. History is a witness to what prudent administration can achieve with little resource.”
On the issue of the possibility of excessive taxation, Okechukwu said, “I don’t have fears that Buhari will engage in excessive taxation.
“He is a man of the people. As one said earlier, the bulk of the budget will be funded by plugging leakages in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
“For instance, under Colonel Hammeed Ali (retd), the Nigeria Customs Service will post more revenue and so is Federal Inland Revenue Service under Mr. Fowler. This is the change we are talking about.”
PDP’s statement on 2016 budget reckless – APC chief
![PDP’s statement on 2016 budget reckless – APC chief]()
Reviewed by Vita Ioanes
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Wednesday, December 23, 2015
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