The Peoples Democratic Party is pleased to welcome to the 2015 presidential contest, a former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, who declared his intention today, Wednesday, October 15, 2014.

While we congratulate and wish him well in his ambition, we have noted some distortions and misrepresentation of facts in his speech and consequently wish to put the record straight.

According to General Buhari, Nigeria was generating 4000 megawatts of electricity in 1999 but has today fallen short of that capacity under the PDP.

However, the fact remains that as at May 29th 1999 when PDP took office, Nigeria was generating 1600 MWs. We urge Nigerians to fact-check on this. Corroboration of this figure can also be sought from the World Bank, the IMF and multiple other authoritative sources.

In contrast, it is common knowledge that under the transformative leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria now generates 4,568 MWs of electricity; a triple of what was generated in 1999.

Again, General Muhammadu Buhari stated that a growing economy which the PDP inherited in 1999 has been destroyed within 15 years in office. This also does not represent the reality on the ground.

The fact which can be verified from the hand-over notes from the military as well as from the World Bank and IMF is that Nigeria was the third largest economy in Africa in 1999, behind South Africa and Egypt. The nation was also rated number 48 in the world, our Foreign Reserve at $3.6 Billion while our foreign debt stood at $36 billion.

However, it is incontrovertible that in the last 15 years of PDP leadership, especially the last three years of dynamic and purposeful administration provided by President Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s economy has become the largest in Africa and the 26th largest in the world. Similarly, our Foreign Reserve is now over $39 billion dollars, and our foreign debts reduced to less than $7 billion from $36 billion.

Besides, General Buhari also told supporters that Nigeria’s agricultural sector has gone down under the PDP, a statement which also does not reflect the reality on the ground.

Verily, the fact remains that in the last 15 years under the PDP, indeed, the last three years of vigorous application of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, there has been an unparalleled government input in agriculture, thereby pushing production to an all-time high. Moreover, Nigeria food import has reduced from N1.1 trillion in 2010 to N684 billion.

While we understand that the APC is hell-bent on using every opportunity at its disposal to discredit the PDP in quest for political control, we urge their handlers to always cross-check their facts and stop making mockery of respected Nigerians in the mould of General Buhari.

Finally, the PDP again welcomes General Buhari into the presidential race and hopes that in the future, he will not allow himself to be further embarrassed in the course of his campaign.

Olisa Metuh
National Publicity Secretary, PDP