Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has had a positive impact on all parts of Nigeria.
The minister made the assertion while reacting to the statement credited to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Atiku had downplayed the achievements of the present administration under the watch of President Buhari during his campaign rally in Akure, Ondo State capital last week. He was quoted as saying the APC had not done anything for Nigeria in eight years.
Reacting, Lai Mohammed during the seventh edition of the ministerial briefing, highlighted the administration’s key achievements, which featured the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, described the former Vice President as one who has lost touch with Nigeria.
“Before I call on today’s Speaker, let me use this opportunity to comment on the increasing tendency of some opposition presidential candidates to downplay the achievements of this administration, in their desperation for power, ahead of the 2023 elections.
“The worst offender in this regard has been the presidential candidate of the PDP, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. During his recent campaign in Akure, the former VP was quoted as saying the APC had not done anything for Nigeria in eight years.
“What a preposterous statement from somebody who should know. I guess we can excuse His Excellency, the former Vice President, who, until recently, had fully relocated to Dubai, thus losing touch with Nigeria.
“And if anyone would accuse the APC-led Federal Government of doing nothing, it should not be Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“Why? Because for the 16 years of the PDP rule, eight of which Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was Vice President, there was no motorable road to the former VP’s hometown and indeed to key local governments in the Southern Senatorial zone that served as Adamawa’s food basket and economic nerve centre until the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office.
“Today, gentlemen, the Mayo Belwa- Jada- Ganye- Toungo road has been constructed fully and it’s the road that Alhaji Atiku uses to get to his hometown of Jada.
“You can also see the irony of someone who held the number two position in the country for all of eight years but could not positively impact his own hometown, state or region now condemning an Administration that has made it possible for him to even access his hometown anytime he flies in from his new hometown of Dubai!
“The Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has had a positive impact on all parts of this federation. No amount of fallacious soap box rhetorics can change this fact,” he said.