Ayo Fayose Counsels FG On Proposed $29.96 Loan

Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has called on the federal government to rescind its decision on borrowing $29.96 billion to finance the 2016 budget, saying such will plunge the country’s economy into total depression....


He also charged journalists in the country to be professional, courageous and fearless while carrying out their lawful duties.

The governor, who posited that Nigerians had vehemently rejected the proposition said alleged Senator Bukola Saraki’s tacit support to President Muhammadu Buhari’s move, will be tantamount to betrayal of trust and  attempt to subvert the wishes of the people.

Governor Fayose made the call yesterday in Ado Ekiti, the state capital yesterday while delivering the 2016 Press Week’s lecture of the Ekiti Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) entitled: ‘Journalism: Antidote to Economic Recession’.

Slamming the president for consistently blaming the past governments for the economic woes after one and half years in the saddle, the governor said borrowing of such huge amount of money would further deteriorate the economic condition of the nation.

He said journalists must operate above board in tackling the social ills by reporting how the people are faring under the present economy so that the entire world can see a clear picture of the country’s economic situation.

Fayose who is found of criticizing Buhari’s government also predicted that a great implosion will soon rock the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) that would sign a death knell for the party before the 2019 general elections.

According to him, “The current situation whereby the federal government is running after perceived opposition suggests that of a man that is interested in pursuing reelection rather than solving economic problems.

“A situation whereby government is borrowing far and above its external reserves  means that the 2016 budget is not implementable because about  30% will be used to service external debt and if this happens, then our economy will go into depression in 2017.

“At the departure of President Goodluck Jonathan’s  government, a dollar  was at the upper limit of N220 and official rate of N190. But today, a dollar is N477 which shows clearly that Buhari’s  government has damaged the economy by 30%.

“As we speak now, Nigeria is gradually entering autocracy. Judiciary no longer has courage to defend democracy. The government is clueless about how to solve the economic problem. All they are pursuing is how to demonise opposition. No justice and justice is the bedrock of democracy.

“If they are really serious about diversification, they should spread
the country’s commonwealth. As we speak now, no good irrigation in the whole of southwest. They should stop round-tripping of dollars”.

Fayose said  his support for the former Lagos State Governor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu should not be mischievously misinterpreted to mean he was planning to defect to APC.

“How can I join a party that is making Nigerians hungry and angry? God forbid. I have seen the body Language of Senator Saraki that he was planning to hit the garvel in support of external borrowing. I want to warn that the National Assembly must not kill Nigerians perpetually”, he said.