Governors elected on the platform of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rose from a meeting in Abuja, yesterday and called on President Tinubu to immediately end the economic hardship plaguing the country currently.
Addressing journalists at Oyo Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja after the meeting, the governor of Bauchi State and chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Mr Bala Muhammed, said Nigeria would have a taste of the experience Venezuela if urgent steps were not taken to halt the prevailing food crisis in the country.
“The meeting reviewed the state of the nation and noted the hardship being faced by Nigerians as a result of the economic and security challenges facing the nation.
“The forum consequently urges the federal government to as a matter of urgency embark on initiatives involving all the sub-national governments, to bring a lasting solution to the crises,” the governor added.
Answering question on what the state governors were doing about the rising cost of living in the country, Mohammed said governors were working closely with the federal government since the inception of this administration.
“The rising cost of living is not only under the purview of the federal government. We have been partnering together with them to make sure that we don’t bring any distraction but the monetary and economic policies rests squarely with the federal government.
“Nigerians took a decision to bring the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the centre and we respect their sensibilities and sense of judgement. What we are doing is giving positive criticism to the obnoxious policies of the federal government.
“But at the onset of this administration, we supported the removal of subsidy, we believed that there were safeguards, we believed that if we took collective decisions, we should go by it. But certainly, we have seen that it is a free fall for the naira. The cost of living is going high; we are almost on the road to Venezuela,” he said.
The governor added: “The majority of Nigerians voted for this administration, so we are doing so much across party lines and on bi-partisan basis, within the Nigeria Governors’ Forum within the national economic council to make sure that we cushion the effects of some of these policies.
“We have reached out to our people and opened the food reserves in a manner that it will provide some succour to our people at the lower level.”
Reading the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, Mohammed said the governors discussed various issues of interest and concern to the Forum, the party and the country at large.
“The meeting reviewed the state of the nation and noted the hardship being faced by Nigerians as a result of the economic and security challenges facing the nation.
“The forum consequently urges the federal government to as a matter of urgency embark on initiatives involving all the sub national governments to bring a lasting solution to the crises. The PDP Governors will continue to play their part in the effort to bring security and succour to our people.
“To this end, we reiterate our call for State Police with appropriate safeguards to avoid any abuse or overreach by any tier of government.
“The forum decried the falling value of the naira and requested the monetary and fiscal authorities to find appropriate solutions.
“The meeting further reviewed recent developments in the Peoples Democratic Party and committed to leading efforts to revamp and reposition the party to serve as an effective opposition to the ruling Party in Nigeria.
“Furthermore, the Forum passed a vote of confidence in the Iliya Damagum-led national working committee (NWC) of the party and urged it to put in motion the machinery for convening meetings of the appropriate organs of the party – from caucus to national executive committee (NEC) as soon as possible,” the communiqué stated.
In attendance at the meeting were the host of the forum and governor of Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde, Mohammed, Messrs Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers State; Ahmadu Fintiri, Adamawa State; Caleb Mutfwang, Plateau State; Dauda Lawal, Zamfara State; Kefas Agbu, Taraba State; Godwin Obaseki, Edo State; Ifeanyi Ossai, deputy governor, Enugu State; and Monday Onyeme, deputy governor, Delta State.
