FG faults Buhari over economy

•Says comments, uncharitable, irresponsible 
 President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday faulted a statement by former Head of State and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential hopeful, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) that elections held in the country from 2003 till date had been rigged and that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had presided over of the nation’s decline. He challenged Buhari to back up his claims with facts.Buhari purportedly made the statement during his official declaration to contest next year’s presidential election at the Eagle Square, Abuja, on Tuesday.
Jonathan, had through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr.Reuben Abati said he, (Buhari) lied by describing elections in the country as “interference in the form of rigging which PDP government has practised since 2003,  is the worst form of injustice – denying people their rights to express their opinions. Whether they like it or not, injustice cannot endure.”
According to Abati, Buhari also remarked, “since 1999, PDP has presided over our country’s decline. Nigeria in my experience has never been so divided, so polarized by an unthinking government hell-bent on ruling and stealing forever, whatever befalls the country. Mr Chairman, we in APC are resolved to stop them in their tracks and rescue Nigeria from the stranglehold of PDP. The last 16 years of PDP government has witnessed a decline in all critical sectors of life in Nigeria,.”
Abati, while addressing State House correspondents yesterday, described Buhari’s remarks as disappointing, reckless, baseless and unsupportable charges, made against the Jonathan administration.
The presidential spokesman, while calling on Nigerians to reject the APC presidential aspirant’s falsehood noted, contrary to his claim that the economy had been on the decline since the advent of the PDP, “available figures, statistics and ratings show that the Nigerian economy has consistently maintained an unprecedented growth rate of 6-7% under the Jonathan administration. They also show that the Nigerian economy is now the leading economy in Africa and the 26th largest in the world with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of over $500 billion per annum”.
Abati said Buhari’s manifesto at his declaration lacked originality,  adding, it was clear the APC’s presidential aspirant was afraid to take on in an honest, issues-driven presidential election contest. He said  President  Jonathan would not be discouraged, nor deterred, but will continue to carry forward his transformation agenda in the power sector and other areas