President Buhari: Balarabe Musa and former petroleum minister disagree

Balarabe Musa, a former governor of old
Kaduna state and Prof. Tam David-West, a
former petroleum resources minister are in
disagreement over the ability of President
Muhammadu Buhari to govern the country.

Both men spoke in an interview with Daily Sun
on Monday evening. According to Musa, a
former presidential candidate of Peoples
Redemption Party (PRP), Buhari’s
administration was using the falling crude oil
prices at the international market as a cover up
for its inefficiency and lack of direction on how
to address the nation’s socio-economic
problems.
“We have to be honest to ourselves; this
government has spent over seven months yet,
there is no convincing economic blueprint on
ground on how we can reinvent our economy. It
is showing very well that it lacks ideas; it
cannot cope with our severe economic
challenges.
“To tell you that this government lacks idea
about the economy, it knew that the price of oil
was at $38 at the time it was preparing the
budget, it pegged the benchmark at $35 instead
of $28. Look at the foreign exchange mess we
have been into. Government does not know how
to handle the situation,” he said.
Musa asked Nigerians to set sentiments aside,
challenging them to get ready for the worst
economic situation in months to come.
He explained that he was fully in support of
Buhari’s war against corruption but that it had
to be genuine. “He has to take the battle to
everybody who is believed to have stolen public
funds, irrespective of the party he belongs to,”
he added.
Musa noted that former president Goodluck
Jonathan’s administration left a legacy of rot
which was why Nigerians voted Buhari to clean
up the mess and not to increase hardship in the
country.
On his part, David-West described Musa’s claim
as nonsense, saying what is happening at the
international market regarding crude oil price is
a global issue and there was no basis for
criticizing the president.
He said though there is genuine reason to be
concerned about the falling oil price, Buhari’s
administration has handled the development
very well.
“What Balarabe Musa is saying is nonsense.
Buhari is sincere and he is the only one good
enough to lead Nigeria at a time like the one we
have at hand,” David-West stated.
He therefore, advised the government to
diversify the economy as crude oil price
continues to fall, while calling on Nigerians to
support President Buhari.
The Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic
Archdiocese of Lagos, Cardinal Anthony
Olubunmi Okogie recently faulted Buhari over
his disdain for judicial authorities while millions
of Nigerians are abandoned to face
unimaginable social problems. He wondered
why tax payers money must be used to feed
Buhari and his family and also buy brand new
exotic vehicles for the legislature, judges,
ministers and governors.