NBS Report Of ‘Growing Poverty’ Under Buhari Not True – Festus Keyamo

Mr Festus Keyamo, the Director of Strategic Communications for the President Muhammadu Buhari 2019 Presidential Campaign, has questioned how the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) consecutively arrive at its statistics that Nigerians are getting poorer under Buhari.

Recent official figures from the NBS had revealed that 18.80% Nigerians either lost their jobs or were unemployed in the 3rd quarter of 2017 against the 9.90% in the 3rd quarter of 2015, giving an indication that employment rate under the Buhari regime has been on the upswing.

But speaking recently with niche publication, The Interview, Keyamo asked “Where does the National Bureau of Statistics get its figures from? I don’t believe those statistics!” he added.

Speaking on President Buhari’s chances of getting Nigerians to re-elect him in 2019, Keyamo said: “He (Buhari) needs time to instil that culture different from what we have learnt government is all about.

He said, “Let’s be honest, most young people of our generation grew up to know only the PDP system, which is – and was – only about money.”

On if those seeking political office in 2019 should reveal their health status before running for election, Keyamo said: “I agree that candidates should declare their health status. But if somebody is sick and is well and now discloses that he is well now, fine. He (Buhari) is ready to go; he is fit to go. Abacha was not sick at all, no history; yet he slumped and died.”