The All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured Nigerians that it will
not renege on its campaign promise to
pay 5,000 Naira each monthly to 25 million most vulnerable Nigerians,
while calling on the citizens to ignore the
mischievous attempt by the PDP to confuse and mislead them on this issue.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by its National Publicity
Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said
even though the PDP-led Federal Government plundered the common wealth
in its time, it (APC) has devised creative
means not only to pay the money but also to fulfill its other campaign
promises to Nigerians.
It said the non-implementation of the payment policy so far is due to
the fact that it was not included in the 2015
budget, which was prepared by the PDP-led Jonathan Administration, and
also because of the need to first block
all financial leakages.
”Now, the Buhari administration has been busy putting into place
measures that will make it possible to start the
implementation of this project. Such measures include the introduction
of the Treasury Single Account (TSA)
”We are happy to inform Nigerians that as at the end of September
2015, over 1.4 trillion Naira – which hitherto was
lying unproductively in various commercial banks – has been recovered
and paid into the TSA,” APC said.
The party said that in its usual jumpy and superficial approach to
issues, the irresponsible opposition has already rushed
to judgement on the issue without bothering to hear from the APC,
which made the promise in the first instance.
”Had the PDP not sacrificed the truth on the altar of political
expediency, it would have realized that the APC never
at any time indicated it has reneged on its promise to pay 5,000 Naira
monthly to 25 million most vulnerable Nigerians.
In our press statement of Aug. 30th 2015, we still reiterated our plan
to redeem our campaign promises, including
the social security payment policy, despite the primitive looting of
the treasury under the watch of the PDP.
”It is therefore astonishing that the same PDP, which is becoming
more and more infamous for its penchant for peddling
half truths and sensationalizing every issue, will rush to the press
to celebrate the figment of its imagination that the
APC will not fulfill its campaign promise regarding the payment,” it said.
The APC said the Buhari administration is also embarking on a massive
infrastructure renewal programme in the areas
of roads, rail and power, for which a 2.5-billion-dollar
Infrastructure Fund is being put in place.
”Contrary to the disinformation being peddled by the PDP, the Buhari
administration is poised to lift millions of Nigerians
out of extreme poverty by providing social protection and safety nets
with another 2.5 trillion Naira Special Intervention
Fund,” the party said.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed
National Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress (APC)
