• Faults National Assembly approach to budgeting
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
Former National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has alleged that the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi “is contributing to how Nigeria is going down.”
Oshiomhole, also the immediate past governor of Edo State, faulted the approach of the National Assembly to managing national budgets.
He made the remarks at the inauguration of the party’s campaign in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state while explaining why he was contesting the senatorial election in Edo North.
At the inauguration, Oshiomhole urged Nigerians to be careful of Obi, whom he described as a man who could not develop and grow the economy of Anambra state when he was governor.
“Obi owns the biggest shopping mall in Abuja and all the items sold there are imported. If he is selling imported wines, clothes and other items, he is contributing to why Nigeria is going down because he is creating job abroad and importing unemployment to Nigeria.”
The former governor said he is not contesting the National Assembly seat to become a Senator sharing motorbikes, tricycles and grinding machines to youths and widows.
Speaking on the rationale behind his senatorial aspiration, Oshiomhole explained that he was contesting the senatorial election in Edo North to change the annual budget system in favour of the ordinary people.
He said: “I am troubled by the way we manage our budget at the National Assembly. I want to go there and argue on the floor of the Assembly that we should change our budgetary system. Our budget must work for the people.
“I want to be a senator, not a senator sharing grinding machines for widows, buying motor bikes or Keke NAPEP for 10 out of 10,000 youths.
“I do not need to be a senator to support windows and youths. I have done that. I am still doing that today. I am paying school fees for people who do not have money to go to school,” he said.
Oshiomhole said if he could fight on the street for ordinary Nigerians, he would even fight harder on the floor of the Senate to ensure that his constituents received democratic dividends.
“I cannot have N500 million for constituency project and go and buy Keke NAPEP, motor bikes and grinding machines, that is not law-making.
“The minister of works told me that the reason road constructions are not completed is that the National Assembly will take half of the money budgeted for a road and approve four other roads on that approved fund. This is why we have unfinished roads all over Nigeria.
“I will use the floor of the Senate to ensure that when the executive brings budget, you do not start new road when the existing ones are not completed,” he said.
“You have seen how Tinubu transformed Lagos, when he sees a performing young person, he mentors and grooms him to become a leader.
“That is why he has produced governors, senators, ministers, among others. So Tinubu is the one who will bring up young Nigerians and mentor them,” he said.
Earlier, the Director-General, Oshiomhole Campaign Council, Abdulganiyu Lawani, said APC was in the right course of winning the 2023 general election.
“We have suitable candidates that can win elections. We have incumbent lawmakers that have performed well and those who are first timers are ‘sellable’ candidates who can also win election for us.
“I urge all party members to go to their various units, wards and local governments to ensure victory for APC come 2023,” he said.
