Nigeria Isn't Growing As It Should At 60, There Is Hunger - Former APC Chairman

A former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie- Oyegun, said that Nigeria is not growing as it should, and that "there is hunger in the land".

The former party leader said this in Benin City, Edo State capital, on Tuesday, in a chat with newsmen.

He said, “Things have been tough. What I can say confidently is that the basic foundation of our future growth has been laid, no question in my mind about that but the administration has not been lucky at all.

“We have had very tough periods of dwindling resources right from the beginning of this administration and I think that but for careful management, we probably would not have got as far as we have today. There is no question at all. 

“There is hunger in the land, the economy is not growing as it should, unemployment is very high, terrorism has raised its ugly head again after initial success and controlling it, cost of production of crude oil now is almost equating what we are getting from selling crude oil. So, the resources are just not there.

“I must say I am sad that things have gotten to this kind of situation, totally out of control. 

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“The only missing link that I will think is that we are not sufficiently giving the people hope or explaining things to people and giving them hope that tomorrow will be better.

“So, there is despondency in the land, that critical ingredient that makes people say okay, things are bad today, but they are not telling us that it will be better tomorrow, that is missing.

“In addition to economic difficulty and economic deprivation, we have not successfully conveyed to them the picture of a better tomorrow. 

“We prayed that Covid-19, which has played also a very major role, will be contained and put out of the way because it has also created major economic problems, massive diversion of resources to protecting the lives of Nigerians. 

“At 60, I have hope that if we can contain the difficulties that beset us, particularly insecurity, then, this country still has a bright future. I am very worried about insecurity because of my untutored mind, I don’t know anything about security.

It is beginning to sound to me as if somebody outside this nation, groups outside this nation have interest in our country that are contrary to the public interest because what is happening, otherwise, it doesn’t make sense and there are a lot of foreigners involved, a lot of AK47 all of which are coming in through the Sahara desert. 

“I am a layman and I don’t know much but it is something that needs an in-depth investigation. Are we as a nation being sabotage by external forces? It is a question that has to be looked into and must be investigated.”