The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for describing as “fake” the report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which indicated that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 3.4% in 2021.

APC stated that the opposition party failed to accept the NBS report because the “PDP is still stuck on the voodoo economics it used to hide stealing and the shocking mismanagement of the economy under its watch”.

APC said Nigerians voted the PDP out in 2015 to restore sanity in the economy and other sectors of the nation.

The ruling party made this known in a statement signed by the National Secretary of APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, on Friday.

The statement read: “As reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its 4th-Quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report, Nigeria’s economy grew 3.4% in 2021, the strongest since 2014 and showed sustained positive growth for the 5th quarter since the recession witnessed in 2020.

“The country’s economy grew faster than forecast by the central bank and government last year after an expansion in the agriculture and trade industries in the fourth quarter offset a sharp drop in oil production.

“The question begging for answers is the reason behind the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pessimism and gloom over the NBS report. Against the backdrop of the opposition Party’s doomsday wishes for the country, an apparently deflated PDP says the NBS Report is fake.

“It is clear that the PDP is still stuck on the voodoo economics it used to hide stealing and the shocking mismanagement of the economy under its watch until Nigerians voted the PDP out in favour of the APC government to restore sanity in the economy and other sectors of our national life.

“On our path, the APC joins well-meaning Nigerians to celebrate the many positives of the country’s sustained economic growth which consolidates our rank as Africa’s largest economy.”

APC further stated that there was growth in the nation’s economy because President Muhammadu Buhari put in place deliberate programmes and policies to increase the economy.

The ruling party added: “Our economic growth is not mere happenstance, but as a result of deliberate programmes and policies of the President Muhammadu Buhari government to reflate, diversify and grow the economy from its former shoddy state.

“As a direct result of this government’s non-oil sector economic diversification drive, agriculture; trade; Information and Communications Technology; and Financial and Insurance Institutions, accounted for positive GDP growth, as reported by the NBS.

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“Significantly, the non-oil sector grew by 4.73%, contributing 94.81% to the nation’s GDP in fourth quarter 2021.

“Again, the PDP’s attention should be drawn to Thursday’s report of Nigeria’s second peer review by the AU-NEPAD which noted thus: “…tremendous progress and success have been made in many areas, particularly in infrastructure development, agricultural revolution, humanitarian services, fight against corruption and so many more for which Nigeria was highly commended by the forum of Heads of State and Government at the 31st Ordinary Session of the AU on the 4th of February, 2022.”

“We enjoin the PDP not to be the enemy within as it laboriously tries to in the guise of opposition politics. Besides, the fact that PDP governments are solely responsible for Nigeria’s economic mess which the APC government is repairing leaves the PDP least qualified to cast aspersions on the economic growth being recorded.”

APC, therefore, called on Nigerians to “support this government to consolidate on our economic wins and efforts to entrench good governance practices which ultimately translates to transparency, accountability and an enabling environment for sustainable development. Nigerians will be the ultimate beneficiaries.”

TheStar