Ayodele Olalere
Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili has said ‘fiscal recklessness and profligacy’ by President Bola Tinubu’s administration is the reason for Nigeria’s worsening economy.
While speaking as a guest on Channels Television on Tuesday, Oby lambasted the President for spending lavishly saying had the government been more prudent with its spending, Nigeria would have avoided the current economic mess.
“All the data and economic indicators show clearly that they have not done a good job of the economy. They have worsened it. They could have avoided the fiscal recklessness and rascality that we see,” Oby said.
She added: “If you are a Nigerian, you should be vexed at this government. All we have seen of this government since it came into office is fiscal profligacy.The political class has decided that they are bandits against the people of Nigeria.”
Referring to the purchase of a new presidential jet worth N150billion by President Tinubu, Oby berated The President for being insensitive to the hunger plight of Nigerians.
“I don’t see how it is feasible that the topmost priority of the government that has the level of biting hunger in the land and poverty, is to consider the purchase of a befitting aircraft for the president, construction of a N20 billion house for the vice-president, purchase of all kinds of funny looking cars in the fleet of national assembly members and executive,” Ezekwesili added.
She said further: “They want everything about what I earned? They can find it in their folders”. As a minister, they have something called ministers’ imprest. My permanent secretary will tell you that I did not touch a dime,” she said.
“So when people say ‘you were in government,’ I was in a sane government, I wasn’t in a government that watches women scream: ‘We’re hungry, we haven’t eaten’.”