Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s plan to sell public assets to fund the 2019 budget.

Atiku described the plan as fiscally irresponsible, noting that it was irresponsible to sell valuable assets and then consume the proceeds.

The Federal Government had announced a couple of months ago that it would raise N289 billion from the sale of 10 public assets to fund the 2019 budget.

The former vice president said selling public assets would ridicule Buhari, and pointed out that some of the assets listed for sale in the policy document of Buhari’s administration were assets built or established under PDP administrations.

In a statement by his Presidential Campaign Organisation on Wednesday, Atiku recalled that on Monday, October 29, 2018, while delivering the 75th Anniversary Business Lecture of the Island Club, Lagos, President Buhari accused past leaders of PDP of not building public infrastructure.

Part of the statement reads, “However, some of the assets listed for sale in the policy document of the Buhari administration were assets built or established under the PDP administrations that governed Nigeria between 1999 and 2007. Some of them were the brain child of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar.

“Our question is this: If the PDP did not build infrastructure, as alleged by President Muhammadu Buhari, who built these assets that this administration wants to sell to fund their 2019 budget?”

As head of the Economic Management Committee during the Obasanjo administration, Atiku said he supervised the successful policy of privatisation.

“Privatisation works because it is a long-term strategy to engender efficiency in the economic system and expand the frontiers of private sector activity. Its primary goal is NOT to raise money for short term stabilization of what is clearly a fragile fiscal system. The government’s planned sale of assets will cause long term pains and only provide short term gains.

“It makes no sense to sell public assets simply to fund a ‘business-as-usual’ budget that is essentially 70% recurrent. It is irresponsible to part with valuable assets simply to consume the proceeds (Like selling your family house to take a trip overseas on holiday),” he said.

Atiku maintained that he had on various occasions made it clear that what was needed at this time, “is fundamentally fiscal restructuring to eliminate our addiction to oil revenues and strengthen our internal revenue generating capacity and a restructuring of the budget in favour of capital spending.”

Atiku said that last month, he questioned the wisdom behind the Federal Government sharing $322 million Abacha loot to certain Nigerians, only to obtain a $328 million loan from China, allegedly for ICT development.

“Rather than share that money, the Buhari administration ought to have put that $322 million in an escrow account to be used for funding the 2019 budget.

“Also, we recall that $43 million was found in an Ikoyi apartment. While we note the failed promise of the Buhari administration to come clean on who was behind those monies, we make bold to say that those funds should equally have been placed in escrow for use in funding the 2019 budget,” the party said.

The former vice president pointed out that he helped build and develop national assets that are now so valuable that they can be sold, adding that creating more of such assets was at the core of his agenda to get Nigeria working again.

“It is our hope that the Buhari government will accept this patriotic pro bono advice and retrace its step accordingly,” the party said.

In support of Atiku’s viewpoint, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, argued that the only solution to the myriad of crises being faced by the country was restructuring, which would allow states of the federation to harness resources in their domains for national development.

Speaking in a chat with Daily Independent, Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said the group was afraid that having sold all the national assets, the government might take more drastic measures, such as selling Nigerians as slaves in order to fund future budgets.

“We are getting there but they are not accepting it. We told them in 2015 that there was no way out except we restructure Nigeria, that Nigeria has to be productive, but they said they are bringing change. Which change are they bringing? Now they are there.

“When the APC government came into power in 2015, our local debt was N11 trillion, it has increased to N26 trillion in three years. Now they are telling us they will sell assets. If after selling all these assets, there is nothing more to sell, they will start selling us as slaves to slave traders to fund the 2019 budget.

“Except Nigeria becomes productive and we allow every state to go and be digging under their soil and bring out what is there. We take all those items from the exclusive list, reduce them and allow every part of Nigeria to be productive, there is no way out and that is what they are showing. So, before they start selling us as slaves, we must insist on Nigeria’s restructuring,” Afenifere said.

https://www.independent.ng/atiku-slams-buhari-over-plans-to-sell-public-assets-to-fund-2019-budget/

So they want to sell PDP built assets. We are in for some long sh*t if we don't retire Buhari to daura come 2019. They will just sell us all. Please if you know you dont want to test the slave trade that our fore fathers experienced, better start mobilizing your village, street or villa members to vote out Buhari. It is a task we must accomplish if we must remain free, otherwise, the Chinese will enter here with chains and carry some people away

Afenifere are ipob according to Nairaland resident ZOMBIES.

Our question is this: If Obasanjo, Yaradua, Jonathan did not build any infrastructure as claimed by the lifeless nomad in Aso rock, then where did they see the assets they want to sell??.

That's APC and Buharis plan.....

The headline totally avoided Atiku views which formed the main angle of the report.

Make i package my family, we are leaving.

If they continue this way what will be left to sell in two to three years? Surprisingly these fraudsters accused and criticised GEJ for borrowing to pay salaries. One would think they will do better.

What if all the assets had been sold by previous government, how will they find the budget. Sure we need a President who understands the economy better

Atiku's views already in public domain since yesterday. The Afenifere own makes sense

jmaine:
The headline totally avoided Atiku views which formed the main angle of the report.

1st To 7th Comment above..are all ipob yoots..

ATIKU - President Of Biafra.

“When the APC government came into power in 2015, our local debt was N11 trillion, it has increased to N26 trillion in three years. Now they are telling us they will sell assets. If after selling all these assets, there is nothing more to sell, they will start selling us as slaves to slave traders to fund the 2019 budget..."

Of course since this government cant account for the spurious IGRs, TSA savings, recovered/relooted funds, and all the embezzlements in NNPC, FIRS etc.Even the $320M Abacha loots was disbursed to vulnerable Nigerians only known to the APC government while they inturn foolishly went to borrow the same amount from China.

.... Now they want to sell national assets to fund 2018 budget.One will now wonder what they will then sell to fund that of 2019.Of course it's to finally mortgage Nigeria on e-bay.

Meanwhile what have happened to the diversification from the non-oil economy while they have wasted billions prospecting for oil up north? Clueslessness is really contagious.

Shayetet13:
So they want to sell PDP built assets. We are in for some long sh*t if we don't retire Buhari to daura come 2019. They will just sell us all. Please if you know you dont want to test the slave trade that our fore fathers experienced, better start mobilizing your village, street or villa members to vote out Buhari. It is a task we must accomplish if we must remain free, otherwise, the Chinese will enter here with chains and carry some people away

What are the names and locations of the alleged PDP built assets?

Abi.....




Awon baba akotileta gbogbo

Nigeria should kukuma come and sell me to Canada...
What am I doing here?

I am for sale biko

As it is now every Nigerian is owing Chinese people #15,000.


In 4 years time there will be nothing to sell, but zombies

CilicMarin:
1st To 7th Comment above..are all ipob yoots..

ATIKU - President Of Biafra.

you are in pains..Please can i see pictures of bubu's unannounced visit to kaduna again?i missed them

so you mean they are planning to sell us as slaves? hmmm were is my bag make I do the needful

Hahahahaha.
He should sell them to the US

Zombie will be like,it's for the good of the country.others will say those assets are demonic and has been the reason why Nigeria is underdeveloped.we are really in precarious time in this country.like the Catholics will say,let's pray for Nigeria.

h

m

Plenty people would volunteer to be sold sef

s

They are already trying to reduce our population through unconstitutional means.

CilicMarin:
1st To 7th Comment above..are all ipob yoots..

ATIKU - President Of Biafra.

You would cry more that President of Biafra start piloting your national life

greatiyk4u:


What are the names and locations of the alleged PDP built assets?

Kindly ask the slowpoke to point asset.

I dey tell people, Á-Thief-Ku sef go steal....

So are u implying that we have been sold already?

Blackfire:
As it is now every Nigerian is owing Chinese people #15,000.


In 4 years time there will be nothing to sell, but zombies

Shayetet13:
So they want to sell PDP built assets. We are in for some long sh*t if we don't retire Buhari to daura come 2019. They will just sell us all. Please if you know you dont want to test the slave trade that our fore fathers experienced, better start mobilizing your village, street or villa members to vote out Buhari. It is a task we must accomplish if we must remain free, otherwise, the Chinese will enter here with chains and carry some people away

Please name one asset that PDP built apart from Corruption and Looting. Where was Afenifere when PDP sold the assets below and many more at give away prices to their friends and relatives? Has Afenifere returned the money they collected from Goatluck to help him right 2015 elections?

Nigerian Airways
NICON Insurance
African Petroleum
NEPA
Eleme Petrochemical Company
NITEL - sold to Atikuloot company, later resold to Goatluck's friend Mr. Ayeni
Delta Steel Company
Unipetrol
National Oil
Ashaka Cement
WAPCO
CCNN - Cement Company of Northern Nigeria
BCC Calabar Cement
Capital Hotel, Abuja (Abuja Sheraton);
Festac ’77
Nigerian Hotels Limited (now Southern Sun, Ikoyi)
Nigerian Hotels (Caterers’ Court, Ikoyi), Nigerian Hotels (House 8 & 9 Lees Road, Ikoyi) and Nigerian Hotels (Audit Section, Ikoyi)”