Jos Zaria road stadium remains past PDP administration conduit pipe- Hon Namang

Jos Zaria road stadium remains past PDP administration conduit pipe- Hon Namang

The Plateau State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), has fire back at the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) over it's recent press released on the recently 2022 budget breakdown read by the Commissioner of Budget Plateau State Hon Sylvester Wallanko.

The ruling All Progressive Congress through it Publicity Secretary Hon. Sylvanus Namang and made available to News Parrot stated that Once again, the  docile opposition PDP in Plateau state has tried to wake up from its slumber but this time around, from the wrong side of its ever shaky bed.

Namang also stated that in its somnambulism, the party is rambling about the  state's budget and making hollow noise about looting and as usual, other very  unsubstantiated claims. 

Because they have been absent from the political scene due to continuous alienation and rejection by the people of Plateau state, the PDP remnant is just reflecting on "Budget Speech" which was presented during the era of former Speaker Abok Nuhu Ayuba before they bewitched him. 

Furthermore the APC image maker also revealed that he wonder what "Budget speech" the PDP is referring to apart from the one presented on the floor of the House which the House duly considered and passed under the new Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Sanda and which  was assented to by the Governor. 

 The PDP woefully failed through its meaningless and empty press release yesterday to convince even a pedestrian watcher of events in the state.

 Indeed, it embarked on a journey without specific destination by using its shamelessly mischievous spokesman to issue a press release   ostensibly to  convince the public  that they know what they are talking about, especially when they know very well that the implementation of the budget has just  started. 

Hon. Namang also stated that one wonders what "looting" the PDP spokesman is referring to and how the 2022  budget has failed  to meet the yearnings of the people. 

 Making reference to the completion of the Zaria road stadium and the reconstruction of the Jos Main Market is akin to continuing the wailing over the projects which have been used as conduit pipes by the immediate past PDP administration in the state which this Government found on ground and has made several efforts to source funding to complete and it reads as follows:

APC PLATEAU STATE CHAPTER, EWAREWAH HOUSE, YAKUBU GOWON WAY, JOS.

RE: PLATEAU AND LALONG'S BUDGET OF FINAL LOOTING 

Once again, the  docile opposition PDP in Plateau state has tried to wake up from its slumber but this time around, from the wrong side of its ever shaky bed.

 In its somnambulism, the party is rambling about the  state's budget and making hollow noise about looting and as usual, other very  unsubstantiated claims. 

Because they have been absent from the political scene due to continuous alienation and rejection by the people of Plateau state, the PDP remnant is just reflecting on "Budget Speech" which was presented during the era of former Speaker Abok Nuhu Ayuba before they bewitched him. 

 We wonder what "Budget speech" the PDP is referring to apart from the one presented on the floor of the House which the House duly considered and passed under the new Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Sanda and which  was assented to by the Governor. 

 The PDP woefully failed through its meaningless and empty press release yesterday to convince even a pedestrian watcher of events in the state.

 Indeed, it embarked on a journey without specific destination by using its shamelessly mischievous spokesman to issue a press release   ostensibly to  convince the public  that they know what they are talking about, especially when they know very well that the implementation of the budget has just  started. 

One wonders what "looting" the PDP spokesman is referring to and how the 2022  budget has failed  to meet the yearnings of the people. 

 Making reference to the completion of the Zaria road stadium and the reconstruction of the Jos Main Market is akin to continuing the wailing over the projects which have been used as conduit pipes by the immediate past PDP administration in the state which this Government found on ground and has made several efforts to source funding to complete. 

 They fail to realise that there is an existing contractual underpinning on the stadium which the government is working  to clean up after the same PDP messed it up and put the state on avoidable debt.

 The present goverment took over a partially fenced space referred to as stadium without the  requisite infrastructure in place but  which billions of naira had gone down the drain with the looters still walking in our  streets freely.

As for the Jos Main

 Market which is supposed to be a main avenue to shore up the state's IGR profile but which was totally and disdainfully rejected by the past dispensation,  the Lalong Rescue Administration has  continued to engage the private sector on funding the project which is capital intensive.  The government is still confident that its efforts will come to fruition.

 Perhaps what the PDP wants is for the government to come up with bogus and false propaganda in the budget to decieve the citizens just as it did during its infamous era of 16 years where oil sold for up to 140 dollars per barrel. 

 Based on the fact that they have nothing to hold unto, they have found new line of accusation and wailing on the British America flyover. Ever since the Government announced that it will consruct the flyover, the thouroughly docile PDP has suddenly woken up from its slumber with its sinister antics. 

At first, they said it is impossible to undertake such a gigantic and landmark project within the next few months as it  cannot be completed. Now they are crying about the figure involved which is nothing close to the much touted N18 billion which exist only in the imagination of the mischievously lazy PDP. 

For the record, what is contained in the 2022  budget breakdown for the much talk about British America  Junction flyover and dualisation is N6 billion  as presented to the media by the Honourable Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning, Sylvester Wallangko on Friday 14th January 2022 which is in the public domain. How did the PDP arrive at this bogus N18 billion?

 They are simply being chased by their shadows of corruption and contract inflation which they used to steal the state blind before they were unceremoniously outsted through  the ballot box.

Do they think Plateau people have forgotten so soon  how they started the New Government House at the cost of N3 billion but ended up spending over 13billion? Rather than provide explanations for their conduct in office, they are running their mouth to fool the gullible and harvest cheap political capital. 

If they have facts about the cost that they can prove foul play, the APC is  challenging  them to  approach the relevant anti corruption bodies or the courts with such facts. If not, they should shut up and allow the Government to work for the people. 

We pray that God will keep us alive for them to drive on the flyover in 2023.

 No amount of distraction would stop the ever focused and people - oriented APC-led Government from fulfilling its mandate to the electorate. 

The most ridiculous and ignorant propaganda is the claim by the  PDP that the Governor has budgeted 100 million for the renovation of his Guest House. This is outright falsehood and total misrepresentation of facts. 

There is no such project in the budget as the Governor has not proposed renovation of any guest house. If they are referring to the new Government Lodge which has been ongoing for many years now, it is not the Governor's lodge. If they care to know, the project is part of the Government lodge that is similar to what previous governments did including the over inflated Jang Lodge inside what is popularly referred to as the the 14-  unit Government Lodge.

They are now using their mischief to brainwash the gullible  public that the new lodge belongs to Governor Lalong which is far from the truth. 

 As for the official residence for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, the PDP is just playing to the gallery instead of hiding its face in shame for not providing accommodation for the number 3 and 5 top Government officials in the State.    In any case, there is full autonomy for all arms of the Government in Plateau State thanks to the proactive and democratic Governor Lalong. 

 If they are against the project, they should present their case to the House. 

For clarity and for the  avoidance of doubt,  we wish to again reiterate that there is no 25 billion naira anywhere in the budget for anybody's personal use. The public should ignore the lies of the PDP which has pitifully fallen  short in  playing an opposition role but has resorted to ridiculing itself at each point. 

Finally, we once again sympathise with the PDP in Plateau state which has  since slipped into oblivion and infamy which has made them either unaware of the accolades that the APC- led Rescue Administration of Governor Simon Bako Lalong contiues to get for its prudence and transparency in financial management. 

The Open Government Initiative gave the Award for best African State in this category in December at its annual event in far away South Korea. 

 If not for mischief, the PDP would have known that the 2022 budget is N40 billion less than the 2021 budget, making it balanced with its projected revenue and funding formula. 

We advise the PDP to avoid disgracing itself if it doesn't have anything to offer as an opposition party. It has has obviously shot itself out of reckoning. 

Signed:

Hon. Sylvanus Namang,

APC State Publicity Secretary