The National Publicity Secretary of the Adebanjo-led faction of Afenifere, Justice Faloye has called out the President Bola Tinubu-led administration over his economic policies.
He also condemned the repression of citizens protesting the unbearable conditions of living.
Faloye argued that Tinubu’s administration was economically sabotaging Nigerians in the guise of establishing economic reforms.
He shared his grievances during an interview with Arise News.
The Afenifere chieftain expressed concern over what he described as authoritarian tactics, adding that the current administration was moving back to the days of military dictator Sani Abacha.
“We are moving back to the days of Abacha if we are not careful,” Faloye said.
He called for the immediate release of those protesters jailed for treason saying “We are very concerned and we are asking for the immediate release of those locked up for treason. Even if you were violent during protest, you could be charged for wilful destruction of properties and other things, but never reason and the question that we have to ask is who is even treasonable here? Because what Nigerians are facing is economic sabotage. They keep on telling us it is economic reform but I say it is economic sabotage.”
Faloye further criticised the government’s failure to address the country’s reliance on petrol imports, which he claimed accounts for 55% of Nigeria’s import bill.
“Our biggest problem right now is the import of petrol. This is a government that came in and within hundred days, we would have expected that 55% of the import bill could be taken care of. Our refineries have gulped over 20 billion and yet nothing is happening. And then we hear these stories about Dangote refineries. So, what do you expect the people to do?
“Logic showed that there was a way that the government should have resolved these economic problems. We are not tackling issues. They keep saying there are economic reforms. What reforms? Can they specifically tell which industries they expect to grow from these reforms? When you see how you can cut the petrol and high importation which is over half of our import bill and you are not addressing those and then you are now going on to make everybody’s life difficult,” he added.