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Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, rose from their meeting in Enugu yesterday, warning against any presidential interference in the forthcoming off-season governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states.
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They also denounced what they described as an abysmal and lacklustre performance of the All Progressives Congress, APC-led federal government, while also commending the governors of PDP-controlled states for their innovative approaches to developmental projects across the country.
The meeting, which had in attendance 12 of the 13 governors of the PDP extraction physically present, also threw its weight behind the embattled Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and pushed for expedited negotiation of a new minimum wage.
Presenting the communique, at the end of the meeting, the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, said the governors admonished all the parties to ensure that campaigns were issues-based, violence-free and in strict compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The communique read: “The Forum urges the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide a level playing field that guarantees transparent, fair and unimpeachable elections as any act of bias will be totally resisted.
“The Forum also urges Mr. President to show leadership as a true democrat by refraining from making any statement suggestive of political interference in the entire process,” the communique read in part.
The governors, while frowning at the state of the economy and nation, however, assured Nigerians that the PDP would return to power in 2027 to wipe away their tears and restore the nation’s lost glory.
“Forum notes with dismay and grave concern the mismanagement of the economy by the APC-led Federal Government.
“The Forum regrets that the 16 years of tremendous development under the PDP-led Federal Government, during which the country witnessed single digit inflation, the establishment of the existing anti-corruption institutions and higher standard of living for every Nigerian has been eroded during the life span of the lacklustre APC-led Federal Government.
“The Forum identifies with the Nigerian populace in these troubling times and promises to bring back those good old days, of low inflation rate, affordable food, fuel and transportation, steady FDI inflows resulting in high naira value and the greater quality of human life as recorded.
“The forum, therefore, calls on all Nigerians to refrain from anarchy as we all march towards the return of the PDP to power in 2027.’’
The governors expressed displeasure over the protracted minimum wage negotiation in the face of extreme hardship, and asked the federal government to expedite action on it.
They, however, noted that the ability of other tiers of government to pay should be taken into consideration.
“Labour’s demand for a substantial salary raise is eminently justified and therefore commands the total support of the Forum
“While the Forum fully supports Labour’s demand, agreement must take into consideration the ability to pay by the local government, sub-national and federal government.
“While negotiations are ongoing, we appeal for restraint in both utterances and actions that could lead to the complete breakdown of law and order and ultimately, the collapse of the economy,” the opposition governors said.
The Forum equally threw their weight behind Governor Fubara in the crisis rocking Rivers State and pushed for a political solution.
“The Forum notes the crises in the Rivers State chapter of the party and commits to ensuring peace. The Forum has resolved to stand Sir Sim Fubara, the governor of Rivers State; while at the same time employ wider consultations with stakeholders for a peaceful resolution and thus find a lasting solution to the crises,” the governors said.
The governors, while welcoming the Supreme Court judgement on local government autonomy, promised to continue to support LG autonomy but urged that “the implementation of the court decision must be done in a manner that does not create a trust deficit between the federal government and sub-national governments.”
They commended the host governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, for holding the party together not only in Enugu State but also the entire South Eastern geo-political zone as well as extolled his virtues and achievements as evidenced with major landmark projects and interventions”.
Apart from Governor Mohammed, other governors who attended the meeting were Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Umo Eno of Akwa-Ibom, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, Agbu Kefas of Taraba, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, Douye Diri of Bayelsa, and the host, Mbah.
