- Alleges some governors convert monthly allocations to dollars
- Says Buhari’s government a complete disaster
The immediate past Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico, Adejare Bello, has accused some governors of sabotaging the nation’s economy by using their monthly federal allocations to buy American dollars.
He claimed that immediately these governors get their monthly allocations from the Federal Government, they direct the Accountant Generals of their respective states to use the allocations to purchase dollars and save them in order to make gains.
Bello did not name the governors he accused of this act of sabotage.
According to the former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, the affected governors have been committing economic sabotage and that their huge purchase of dollars has further crippled the naira.
He made this known while speaking recently in an interview in Osogbo.
“Some governors are telling their Accountant Generals to use allocations to purchase dollars for savings because they believe saving naira is worthless. That is a great sabotage. That is what is making dollars rise,” he alleged.
Bello, a chieftain of the governing All Progressives Congress, lamented the hardship being faced by Nigerians, saying should it continue, the ruling party would not have the boldness of approaching Nigerians for votes forthwith.
Nonetheless, he expressed optimism that the administration of President Bola Tinubu would rescue the nation from economic doldrums, insecurity and other challenges confronting Nigeria.
The former lawmaker blamed the economic crises rocking the country on former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing his government as a disaster.
He said though Buhari appointed him Ambassador to Mexico, he would not shy away from telling him the truth.
“I want to say emphatically that Buhari’s government was a disaster. Yes, people will say but I served in his administration as an Ambassador to Mexico and that he appointed me, but I must let you know that his government ruined Nigeria. His government was a complete disaster.
“How can a president appoint a governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and watch him buy a form to contest as president? Nigerians were shocked when pictures of the vehicles Emefiele (Godwin) purchased for his campaign were released. Many atrocities that his economic team committed are part of what has led us to this hardship,” he maintained.
Stating the need for President Tinubu to retrace his steps and tackle the economic downturn, Bello advanced some solutions and urged Nigerians to exercise more patience.
“It is obvious that Nigerians are suffering. My advice to President Tinubu is that as you hurriedly removed the subsidy and announced the naira unification, I also want you (Tinubu) to use the same method and ban importation of more than 85 percent of items to Nigeria. These items we are importing are luxuries and we don’t need them. All these Land Cruisers and other luxury vehicles should be banned from getting to this country.”
He added, “The rise of the dollar against the naira is really affecting our economy. Things are really difficult for most people. Imagine, I returned to Osun State in December last year and I have spent N2 million buying petrol in my house alone. I wonder how those who are earning N50 to N100, 000 are coping. I just say the truth because what is destroying Nigeria is that we don’t tell the truth.
“But in all this hard experience, I want Nigerians to give President Tinubu two years, there will be changes. If opening borders will solve it, it should be done. A bag of rice shouldn’t be more than N25, 000 in Nigeria. I spend so much time staying at home with a lot of complaints. People come to me with shocking complaints and they need money to attend to them.
“Insecurity is worsening because people are poor. Imagine, locally produced rice is even competing with the price of foreign rice, why is that? The truth is that there is an astronomical increase in prices of commodities even in other countries. We APC members are ashamed to even defend this government. But, I urge us (Nigerians) to be patient. We should not take up arms. Don’t allow hardship to drive you to crimes, be patient with this government.”
Bello pleaded with Nigerians to desist from placing courses on President Tinubu and other political leaders, saying that they need prayers at this critical phase.
“I want to urge Nigerians to stop placing curses on political leaders, and keep praying for our leaders because if it gets worse, we will all bear the brunt. APC members and close associates are telling Tinubu of the anguish of Nigerians but because he met a very difficult situation, that is why things are like this.
“That is why I am also calling on the President to do some practical things so that Nigerians’ prayers will be answered. Within the next one month or two, the president should tackle these high prices of food and other essential commodities. All bad advisers around President Tinubu, we should pray that God should drive them away. Things cannot continue like this and APC will have the guts to seek for re-election. But, before 2025, things would have become better. A litre of petrol should not cost more than N300.
“When the refineries start operating, the cost of transportation will reduce and things will be better. We should all know that our curses are worsening challenges in Nigeria and I want us to stop them,” he stated.
