Former President, Goodluck Jonathan has replied his critics who accused him of handing over a nation at the verge of collapse to his successor, President Muhammadu Buhari.
Jonathan recounted the achievements of his government to include, handing over a country that produced the richest man in Africa. Jonathan said,
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‘I took over a Nigeria that was the second largest economy in Africa with a GDP of $270.5 billion in 2009.’
‘I handed over a Nigeria that had grown to become the largest economy in Africa and the 24th largest economy in the World with a GDP of $574 billion.’
‘I handed over dollar exchange rate of N187 per Dollar official rate in our banks, compared to their N360 now official rate for a Dollar.’
‘I inherited a Nigeria in which the trains were not working, and handed over a Nigeria in which citizens can safely travel by trains again.’
‘I also inherited a country where illiteracy rate particularly in the Northern part was alarming.’
‘I handed over a country where every state in the North and indeed all the states had a Federal University.’
‘I inherited a country where there was total infrastructural decay in all the unity schools and colleges of education.’
‘But I handed over a country with massive infrastructural improvement in almost higher institutions.’
‘I inherited a country where agricultural inputs and production were almost zero.’
‘But I handed over a country where a bag of rice was sold for ₦6,500 to ₦7000.’
‘My regime since the establishment of ecological fund office did more irrigation dams in the North and other parts of the country than other subsequent administrations put together.’
‘I inherited epileptic fuel supplies resulting to endless queues at the filling stations.’
‘I maintained despite enormous challenges of fuel subsidies and handed over a relatively stable fuel regime and also at a managed local price of ₦87 per litre.’
‘I inherited a Nigeria that was a net importer of cement, and handed over a Nigeria that is a net exporter of cement.’
‘In 2009 the richest Nigerian was the 5th richest man in Africa, but I handed over a Nigeria that had the richest man in Africa.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
