Few days after a former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar warned that Nigeria was in severe debt crisis, the National Leader of the Social Democratic Party, Prof Tunde Adeniran has also warned that Nigeria was drifting into trouble.
In a press release issued on Thursday and personally signed, he mentioned three areas of crisis which must be addressed.
According to the statement, “three issues stick out that must be addressed as part of national emergencies; the endless chain of crises being orchestrated by some key players in the political class, the raging COVIC – 19 Pandemic, and the national debt crisis.
“It is a big shame that after decades of attempts at democratic renewal, some politicians are bent on setting Nigeria on the path of retrogression.
“The perennial cycle of conflicts and confusion is morphing into a multi-level crisis that has engulfed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and compounded its precarious state of affairs, should be of genuine concern to true democrats and patriots.
“Indeed, Nigerians across the divide are increasingly anxious about the prevailing grave situation which, if not quickly arrested, portends further chaos in the APC and great danger to democracy. Mindful that party politics centre largely around the effective management and resolution of crisis, as well as the need to achieve right balancing of interests and tendencies, the ongoing imbroglio which the party in power has self-plunged, which though is not totally unexpected, has come as a surprise to Nigerians generally at this critical time.
“Notwithstanding the defects characteristic of the party, it behoves on all Nigerians to take more than a passing interest in the unfolding ugly development which is sadly taking a dimension of national embarrassment”, he observed.
He said that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is calling for caution and strongly calling on the dramatist persona in the leadership saga as well as the entire nation’s political class to always act as patriots and democrats.
“To prevent a shipwreck of our hard-earned democracy at this critical juncture of our national life also requires that we confront the other threats of worsening insecurity and dwindling economy in the face of serious public health crisis occasioned by the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is true that the rising poverty and declining well-being of the citizenry, among other national challenges, are making many Nigerians lower their guards while some States are considering some compromise regarding Protocols expected to be adhered to.
“We appeal to the States concerned and the Federal Government to please save the people of Nigeria from the possible disaster of self-annihilation if necessary protocols are not enforced against the spread of the deadly virus.
“As we face the crises in the political and health sectors, the economy should also be tackled. One of the critical areas is the debt issue.
“Our national expenditure framework and fiscal strategy have become more worrisome than ever before. If there is any doubt that we are in in a serious fiscal crisis, the fact of our incredible indebtedness in relation to revenue, servicing debts (and paying interest charges) and being unable to pay the debts, are enough signals that we are marching toward insolvency.
“It is time to wake up, open our eyes and stop the endless borrowing. We must realistically adjust state and national budgets as dictated by the realities of today”, the SDP leader admonished.
