GOVERNORS under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have urged President Bola Tinubu to reassess his administration’s economic policies to alleviate the current hardships Nigerians are facing.
The governors made this appeal in a communiqué released at the end of their two-day meeting in Jos, Plateau State, on Saturday, November 24.
The communique signed by the governor of Bauchi State and chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed stated: “The forum empathises with Nigerians who are groaning under the oppressive economic hardship foisted on the nation by the policies and decisions of the APC-led federal government. The forum calls on the president to urgently review both macroeconomic and fiscal policies to address the welfare and well-being of Nigerians.”
The communiqué while noting the governors’ commitment to pursuing programmes that will mitigate hardship and foster progress said: “The forum pledges that all PDP governors will continue to aggressively pursue policies and programs that will reduce hardship and ensure progress and development.”
The meeting, held at the Plateau State Government House, included key PDP organs such as the National Working Committee (NWC), the Board of Trustees (BOT), the National Assembly Forum, the Former ministers’ forum, and other party leaders.
On party unity, the communiqué stated: “The forum notes the concerns of Nigerians, PDP founding fathers, elders, and members of our great party over seeming divisions within the ranks. We remain resolute in our determination to ensure unity and cohesion in this great Party that Nigerians trust as the best platform for democratic governance.”
The Forum urged the NWC to convene a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting by February 2025 to engage critical stakeholders and address leadership issues, litigations, and other challenges confronting the party.
Condemning what it called recent “electoral irregularities”, the governors expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
“The forum notes with concern the rape of democracy in the Edo elections, where INEC manipulated results in favour of the APC candidate despite the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, winning the majority of lawful votes. Similarly, in Ondo, the APC openly bought votes and manipulated results. The forum calls on the judiciary to save Nigerian democracy and urges the national assembly to strengthen electoral laws against such institutional sabotage,” the communiqué stated.
Governors present at the meeting included, senator Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Agbu Kefas (Taraba), Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara). The governors of Delta and Enugu states were represented by their deputies, Monday Onyeme and Ifeanyi Ossai, respectively.
The ICIR reported that insecurity, inflation and a hike in the cost of living among others pushed many Nigerians to stage a nationwide protest, which began on Thursday, August 1.
Tinubu had stopped fuel subsidy and devalued the local currency – the naira – thus causing a spiral hike in food and commodity prices.
In a nationwide broadcast to Nigerians in the morning of Sunday, August 4, Tinubu said even though the decision to remove the fuel subsidy was painful, it was necessary because it had constituted a noose around the nation’s economic jugular and impeded economic development and progress.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.