President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) still owes Nigerians an explanation on how it mismanaged national wealth in its years in power.
Mr Buhari said this on Thursday while receiving the leadership of organised labour who paid him a visit for his victory at the polls.
A statement issued by Femi Adesina Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), quoted the President as saying: “PDP has not successfully explained to the country what they did with the money.”
He added: “There were no roads, no rail, no power. They said they spent $16 billion on power, but where is the power? The irresponsible expenditure of that period has not been explained, and Nigerians deserve an answer on that terrible mismanagement of the country.”
The President thanked the organised labour for their support and patriotism during the presidential election especially after the unexpected postponement.
“You and your members stepped in to support willing Nigerians to exercise their civic and patriotic rights to vote. You intervened as patriots, and not for political, religious or tribal purposes. You simply did the right thing during a difficult period for many of us,” Buhari said.
In response, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, lauded the president for being worker-friendly, as exemplified in the granting of bailout funds to state governments to pay the backlog of salaries and pensions.
Mr Wabba said: “For us, that was one of the finest moments we have had with any President in this country. I can stand here today and say your intervention was the difference between life and death for many workers.”
Wabba appealed to the National Assembly to quickly pass the National Minimum Wage Act, and also implored Buhari to thereafter sign it into law within the shortest possible time.
