The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the mass retrenchment in banking and other sectors as a sabotage and a ploy by “certain disgruntled persons to blackmail and discredit the Federal Government.”
National Auditor of the party, Chief George Moghalu, made the observation at the party’s headquarters, yesterday.
He said it was a deliberate plan orchestrated by some enemies of the APC government to create a situation of uncertainty and unnecessary frustration of the system.
“Government has told them to stay action on the sack of staff or face the consequences. I don’t know why the banks should be sacking, we need to ask what has happened to the profit they have been amassing in the past.
“They ought to have been prepared for the rainy day. People cannot be manipulated to create the situation of uncertainty and unnecessary frustration for the system.
“As far as I am concerned, what is happening now is pure sabotage. Nigerians should still trust the APC government.
“I will be ready to engage the media after two years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.”
Reacting to mixed reactions of Nigerians to Buhari’s health trip to London, Moghalu said: “Let us assume he is sick; what is wrong with someone falling sick? On the contrary, Mr. President should rather be commended because things that have not been happening before are happening now.
“We have a president transmitting power to his deputy to act while he goes on a 10-day vacation trip and relayed the information to the National Assembly.
“Previously, government was personalised and what we had was a case of ‘if he is not there everything stops.’ President Buhari has brought a level of civility in politics. There is nothing wrong with his going on vacation and what he does with his vacation period is entirely his business.
“The Presidency has said that he is not sick to the extent of incapacitation. There is no debate about whether he is still fit to rule the country.”
Asked why weeks after signing the budget, the economy still remains stagnant, he replied: “I won’t agree that things are not moving.
“There is a process and contractors will not go to CBN, open the vault to carry and distribute money because the budget has been signed.
“The contracts listed in the budget must be executed and the process of awarding the contract has to be followed.
“Tenders must be advertised, the committee that handles tenders will sit over the applications and approve them before awarding the contract.
“The Ministry of National Planning has asked the agencies of government to summit their priority projects.
“What will not happen is government asking every Nigerian to line up at Eagles Square to collect money,” he said.
