DELTA State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has said negative attitude of Nigerians towards the forthcoming general elections was militating against Nigeria’s economic growth.
Uduaghan who stated this in Warri, Tuesday, at a town hall meeting with professional groups and civil society organizations based in Delta South and Central Senatorial districts of the State, noted that the attitude of Nigerians was sending wrong signals to investors.
This, he argued, neg was impacting negatively on the economy with investors holding back their funds thereby retarding the country’s economic growth.
In particular, he said that the value of the dollar rose far above the Naira because Nigerians were giving out the impression that there will be violence after the general elections which had sent the wrong signals to the international community especially, businessmen.
“There is this erroneous impression that we are giving to the international investors that there will be violence after the elections and it has affected the inflow of money from businessmen,” he said, adding, “We must work very hard to ensure that our elections are violent-free, whoever loses should wait for another election. Whichever way the election goes, we must maintain the peace and ensure that the Naira appreciates.”
Also, the Governor took a swipe at those inciting Nigerians based on different divides as a result of the forthcoming elections, observing that effects of inciting the people could be disastrous even to those engaging in inciting others.
He said that President Goodluck Jonathan deserves re-election because of the achievements he has recorded for Nigerians within the past four years.
According to him, President Jonathan has done a lot for Nigerians and would do more for Nigerians and the country in the interest of the peace and unity of the nation, adding: “The naira will get a boost after the elections”.
A former Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Prof. Sylvester Monye delivered a lecture on ‘Governing Under Siege: An Assessment Of The President Goodluck Jonathan Administration 2011-2015’ at the Town hall meeting
Monye decried hate campaigns and campaigns based on falsehood stressing that Mr. President has worked more than his predecessors by delivering on electoral promises rather than engaging in propaganda.
He expressed confidence that based on the facts presented which shows a progressive country, the professionals and members of the civil society groups “are not voting for President Jonathan based on where he is from but, because of his performance so far.”
