There are divergent opinions in the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Congress (PDP) as two chieftains have clashed on social media regarding the state of the economy.

Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide, and Dele Momodu, a spokesperson for the Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign council, expressed contrasting views on the economy and its growth following President Bola Tinubu and Organised Labour reaching a consensus on the minimum wage.

In an open letter to the president, Dele Momodu accused him of wasteful spending, such as purchasing a new presidential jet, constructing extravagant monuments, and distributing cash as palliatives to the detriment of ordinary Nigerians.

Excerpts from his post read, "If you can curb the excessive spending of your government, you will free up a lot of resources for serious development. I believe you are squandering our resources because you desperately crave a second term. However, the best assurance of a second term is PERFORMANCE. Nigerians are not expecting you to turn water into wine, but they do expect results."

In a quick response, Reno Omokri informed Momodu that Nigeria’s economy is not collapsing but rather showing growth based on recent IMF projections.

He stated, "I read your open letter to President Bola Tinubu, in which you stated, 'Our economy has virtually collapsed,' among other things. Respectfully, the facts do not support your assertions, and in your open letter, you did not provide any facts, only opinions. Allow me to present some facts that contradict your opinions.

"Firstly, just yesterday, the International Monetary Fund projected that due to the reforms being undertaken by the current administration, Nigeria will have a 3.1% GDP growth rate in 2024. This is one of the best projections for an African country in 2024 and does not indicate an economy that has 'virtually collapsed.'

"Secondly, Nigeria had a record high of N6.52 trillion trade surplus in the first quarter of 2024. This has never happened before. We consistently had trade deficits in the past. This means that due to the monetary reforms by the current government, Nigeria is now exporting significantly more than it is importing, and the growth is largely in the non-oil sector."

In response, Dele Momodu took a jab at Reno Omokri, questioning when he became a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

"What happened to my Brother Reno that he feels he must defend many of the most atrocious policies of the Tinubu government? I believe Reno is too brilliant to waste his talents on a government that can’t even defend itself in good conscience," he wrote.

"When did Reno become a born-again Tinubuist that he has forcefully taken over the jobs of Ajuri and Onanuga combined? Otherwise, he would have known the difference between economics and ECONOMY. Economics deals mainly with textbook theories while the ECONOMY deals with the practical and realistic conditions of the people on a day-to-day basis."