Aregbesola to Jonathan: Stop playing politics with Nigeria’s ailing economy

The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has charged President Goodluck Jonathan not to play politics with the ailing state of the country’s economy.
The governor urged the Peoples Democratic Party-led government at the centre to, as a matter of urgency, nip in the bud the issue of oil theft that has robbed the country of trillions of Naira.
Aregbesola gave this charge in Atakumosa West Local Government Area in continuation of the All Progressives Congress campaign to drum up support for all the candidates of the party in the forthcoming general elections.
Aregbesola had earlier taken his campaigns to Orolu and Atakumosa East Council Areas of the state, telling residents that the only hope left for the masses is to see to the end of the Peoples Democratic Party rule at the federal level.
He held that if the said stolen crude oil is being prevented and blocked by the PDP and the Federal Government, such proceeds amounting to trillions of Naira can be put to use in the development of rural roads all over Nigeria.
The governor, while addressing the people of Ilaa-jesa, Isaobi, Isotun Osu and Ifewara among other rural settlements in the local government, said the Yoruba have never benefited anything good under the administration of the conservative party.
According to the governor: “If the barrels of crude oil being alleged to have been stolen daily are blocked and prevented by the PDP-controlled Federal Government, which amounts to N1.7 trillion, proceeds from such act could have provided about 2000 kilometres of rural roads across the country.”
Aregbesola admonished the people of the area to query the Federal Government on why the Osogbo-Ilesa and Osu-Ife roads, which began seven years ago, were abandoned.
He said: “Nigerians have never had it this bad in terms of hunger, insecurity, corruption, unemployment among others.
“The worst of it being the economic recession, which made a dollar to exchange for N230 from N120 inherited by the President Goodluck Jonathan led administration.”
The governor also appealed to Christians to use the lenten period to pray for the desired change the country truly deserves and by voting for all the candidates of the APC in the National Assembly and state House of Assembly elections.
Aregbesola, at the palace of the Asotun of Isotun, Oba Akinola Adeniyi Owosekun 11, alleged: “If the wastage the Federal Government is noted for are curtailed, no rural community will not benefit from the proceed from crude oil being stolen daily.
“God in his mercy granted president Goodluck Jonathan the last four years as an economic independence period when crude oil was sold at $100 per barrel, but what did the country witness: abandoned projects, including the Alagbado-ota Bridge started by Chief Ernest Sonekan’s government.”
On the comments of the President during his visit to the state that the country is buoyant and that his government is fulfilling its financial obligations to the state, the governor questioned why Federal Government workers are being owed salaries and allowances.
Aregbesola however noted that his visit to the interland and villages is to enable him assess and have first hand information about the condition of the people. ‎
Aregbesola told the people that one of the things the PDP wanted to ensure by forcing a postponement of the election was to drain the people out and use the period to empower their weak candidates.
Ge said: “We only need our people to persevere. Our people are Omoluabi who cannot be bought with ill gotten wealth. We have remained with the people and that is our commitment.”