Former governors who were elected in 1999 have expressed concern about the state of the economy and advised President Bola Tinubu against sharing N5000 to Nigerians as palliative but instead build cottage industries in the 774 local government areas.
The group, christened Class of ’99, led by the former governor of Edo State, Mr Lucky Igbinedion, handed down the piece of advice to the president when it visited him in the State House, Abuja, on Friday.
The Class of 99 is made up of the colleagues of the president who served from 1999 to 2007.
Addressing journalists on behalf of the Class after a closed door meeting with Tinubu, Igbinedion said the group advised the president to do something urgently about the economy, saying people, especially in the rural areas, are worst hit by the excruciating economic situation in the country.
“We came to see one of our own Class of 99 and to bring about topics about the state of the nation. We are glad that Mr President received us warmly, and we spoke basically about the security situation of the nation, the economy and, of course, agriculture. The president expressed his concern about these various issues that we came to discuss with him.
“We also proffered our own solutions about how he can go about bringing about succor to the people. The people, especially in the rural areas, are feeling the impact of the harsh economy, and he assured us that he is looking into it.
“We also spoke about the stability of the naira, which he also addressed appropriately. So it has been a very fruitful deliberation with Mr. President. And of course, he assured us that whatever suggestions, way forward that we might have, his doors are always open for such conversation,” Igbinedion said.
On their assessment of the president’s efforts and what they want him specifically to address, the former governor declared: “The first and foremost thing is security, because we told him that without security, there can be no progress, there can be no stability.
“Secondly, the economy of course, needs to be stabilised by ensuring the foreign exchange remains stable and people can afford. But what is most important was, let’s create industries, especially cottage industries that can employ people, rather than just giving out palliatives.
“We implored him to try as much as possible to create cottage industries in all the local governments of the federation where people can be employed, because if you give palliative to somebody today, what happens tomorrow? If he has N5000 in the morning, how about lunchtime or dinner time, what is he going to do?
“Five thousand naira cannot buy much. These are parts of the really heart-to-heart discussions we had with the president, and he agreed with,” he added.
On the delegation were Messrs Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), Joshua Dariye (Plateau), Saminu Turaki (Jigawa), Boni Haruna (Adamawa), Donald Duke (Cross River), and Sam Egwu (Ebonyi).
Others were Lucky Igbinedion (Edo), Jolly Nyame (Taraba), Victor Attah (Akwa Ibom), Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti), and Adamu Mu’azu (Bauchi).
The secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Mr George Akume, who served as governor of Benue State from 1999 to 2007, introduced his former colleagues at the start of the meeting.
Former governors who were absent from the delegation were Messrs Bisi Akande (Osun), Olusegun Osoba (Ogun), Achike Udenwa (Imo), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa), Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna), Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto), Sani Yerima (Zamfara), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu), and Orji Kalu (Abia).
