The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, says more than 10 million vulnerable Nigerians who benefited from the Federal Government’s N75,000 conditional cash transfer programme lack access to mobile phones and social media.
Yilwatda disclosed this on Saturday while speaking with journalists after a three-day retreat of the APC National Executive Council in Maiduguri, Borno State.
He said the beneficiaries were largely unable to participate in public debates on government policies because many lacked access to mobile phones, television and social media.
“We have given N75,000 to over 10 million Nigerians across the country using the conditional cash transfer under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction,” Yilwatda said.
He added that many of the beneficiaries were poor and vulnerable Nigerians living outside the reach of conventional communication channels.
“Mind you, these people who are poor and vulnerable don’t have telephones to make calls; they are not on social media.
“They don’t have a television. They cannot come and challenge and discuss as we are doing here, but they are out there,” he said.
The APC chairman also took a swipe at former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over his proposal to restore fuel subsidy.
Yilwatda defended the removal of the subsidy, arguing that it had increased the resources available to state governments.
“Over 30 states could not pay salaries and pensions. After we removed subsidies, all states can pay salaries and pensions, and no state is left behind,” he said.
The APC chairman further argued that restoring the subsidy could affect the ability of governments to meet their financial obligations.
“Today, if you return it, you are saying states shouldn’t pay salaries again. And what suffering are you bringing to Nigeria?” he asked.
Yilwatda also said the Federal Government was undertaking road construction projects across the country while creating employment for workers at construction sites.
“We are constructing roads and paying people that are working on the road site, and construction is going across the country,” he said.
His comments came amid the continuing political debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms and Atiku’s proposal to restore petrol subsidy. Recent reports show that Yilwatda has repeatedly criticised the proposal, arguing that it could place renewed pressure on government finances.
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