FG’s excessive borrowing will sink Nigeria, says female presidential aspirant

A female presidential aspirant on the platform of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Prof. Benedicta Agbo, has decried Nigeria’s rising debt stock, describing it as threat to the nation’s democracy. 

She expressed worry that the Federal Government is gradually plunging the country into bankruptcy with excessive borrowings on frivolous items. 

Speaking after she obtained her nomination and expression of interest forms at the NRM national secretariat in Abuja, the professor of education said it is time to rescue the country from the failure of past generations. 

Assuring that she would reduce the country’s debt, Agbo said she would develop a robust national plan to deliver good governance, unity and improve the living standard of Nigerians if elected president in 2023. 

The Canada-based academia who unveiled a campaign hinged on five pillars of economic growth, regeneration, poverty alleviation, labour and power sector reform, said if voted president, “I will tackle insecurity and unite the country. We will leverage the power of the arm forces and address insecurity. We will deploy technology for that purpose

“Poverty issue will be addressed, welfare programme will be introduced, labour will be encouraged and review the wages. How can a minimum wage be N30, 000, an amount for a bag of rice? We can’t move forward until we have peace and security. 

“I will strengthen institutions. We have institutions that are no longer relevant. Some institutions are so weak that we don’t even need them. Individuals are now greater than institutions. That’s why we will adhere to the rule of law. No one will be above the law and the law will be applied.  

“God created this country as a paradise, but we have turned it to hell. But I will turn around the education sector within 18 months,” she said. 

On not being familiar with realities in the country, she retorted, “you can take me out of Nigeria, but you can’t take Nigeria out of me. If I become president, there will be hope and restoration. Nigeria has not had it so bad. Nigeria is at a crossroads, one wrong turn, we are in trouble.”

In his remarks, the NRM National Deputy Chairman, Abubakar Jikamshi said: “history is in the making with cries everywhere where people are crying for alternatives; adding that they cannot sit down as citizens with conscience and allow that to happen. We have to stand up and ensure that we rescue the country.”

He decried the spate of unemployment in the country, maintaining, “Children of the big men are schooling abroad. Agbo came all the way from Canada to rescue Nigeria. We must support her because she is determined to take the mantle of leadership of this country….”