Kazeem Owoseni
The Federal Government has given a reply to the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, over his comment on the grains received from the Ukraine.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, while reacting to Obi’s comment at the annual Leadership Conference and Award 2023, said Nigeria’s decision to accept grains from war-torn Ukraine does not mean the country is weak or a failed state.
The former Anambra State governor had, in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), described Ukraine’s grain donation to Nigeria as disheartening.
Reacting, Idris said“Egypt gets about 60 percent of its grains from Ukraine. The fact that Egypt gets about 60 percent of its grains from Ukraine does not make it a failed state.
“The fact that we are having challenges at the moment does not make Nigeria a failed state.
“Therefore, accepting grains from Ukraine does not make Nigeria or Egypt failed countries.
“It is a normal thing because countries exist to depend on one another.”
The event organised by the Leadership Group, publishers of Leadership Newspapers, was held in Abuja on Tuesday.
Idris said: “It is true that Nigeria is facing some challenges and President Bola Tinubu is aware of this and he has been making efforts to address the situation.
“Nigerians voted for Tinubu with the deeper understanding and conviction that he has the capacity to turn things around for the better and that is what he is doing.
“Some of the decisions he has taken were to ensure that Nigeria finds its place in the comity of nations.
“The decisions include removal of fuel subsidy and addressing the issue of foreign exchange and many others.
“In spite of the current challenges, the economic growth of Nigeria is on track and has continued to improve.”
The Minister further explained that fuel subsidy removal was a bold step in the right direction and urged Nigerians to support the president as the country would soon begin to reap the benefits.
According to him, the current national challenges did not begin upon assumption of office by President Tinubu.
“We are optimistic that soon, what we are passing through will be a thing of the past and Nigeria will be better,’’ Idris said.
