As Nigeria celebrates 60 years of nationhood on Thursday, October 1, the former National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun has expressed dissatisfaction over the state of declining economic activity, alarming rate of unemployment and spate of insecurity in the country.
Odigie-Oyegun, who was the former governor of Edo State, made the remarks on Monday while speaking with newsmen in Benin City.
He noted that successive governments have not been able to convey the message to keep hope alive in spite of numerous challenges bedeviling the country.
He however, assured that despite the unfortunate happenings across the nation, a solid foundation has been laid for the country to grow vigorously.
According to him, the only missing link is that those at the helm of affairs are not doing enough in explaining things to the people and giving them hope that tomorrow will be better.
“60 is tough but I have hope that if we can contain the difficulties that beset us, particularly insecurity, then, this country still has a bright future
“Things have been tough. What I can say confidently is that the basic foundation of our future growth has been laid, no question in my mind about that but the administration has not been lucky at all.
“We have had a very tough period of dwindling resources right from the beginning of this administration and I think but for careful management, we probably would not have gotten as far as we have today.
“There is hunger in the land, economy is not growing as it should, unemployment is very high, terrorism has raised its ugly head again after initial success and controlling it; cost of production of crude oil now is almost equating what we are getting from selling crude oil. So, the resources are just not there,” Odigie-Oyegun said.
“We prayed that Covid-9, which has played also a very major role, will be contained and put out of the way because it has also created major economic problems, massive diversion of resources to protecting the lives of Nigerians,” he added.
On the state of the resurgence of attacks by hoodlums, Odigie-Oyegun alleged that there could be external forces that do not mean well for the survival of the nation, adding that such people should be investigated and prosecuted.
Every October 1 marks Nigeria’s Independence from British rule, and this year’s Independence Day is the country’s 60th anniversary.
