Published March 2, 2021
John Alechenu , Abuja
THE Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum, Dr . Salihu Lukman , has urged the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd. ) , and the All Progressives Congress, to downplay politics when seeking for solutions to Nigeria ’s problems .
He said there was no denying the fact that , extreme poverty in northern Nigeria , was responsible for the rising spate of criminality across the region.
Citing the recent World Bank report on the number of extremely poor Nigerians , Lukman stressed the need for the Buhari-led APC regime to step up its game.
Lukman , said this in a paper titled , “ Poverty and Existential Problems of Nigeria ,” which he made public , in Abuja , on Monday .
He said, “ Without questioning the legitimacy of World Bank underestimated figure of 94 million Nigerians living below poverty , both the APC and the government of President Muhammadu Buhari acknowledges that more than 100 million Nigerians are poor .
“ The critical issue is to what extent are we committed , both as a party and as a government , to implement initiatives aimed at reducing poverty in the country ?
“ Somehow , given our increasing challenges as a nation , the impact of government welfare programmes appears to be hardly satisfactory , which account for the stagnant reality of the problem of extreme poverty as reported by the World Bank .
“ Often, we over politicise challenges and , in the process, weaken our capacities both as citizens and as governments to mobilise effective national responses to the resolutions of serious problem of poverty in the country . ’’