Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have advised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to graciously throw in the towel if it cannot mobilise Nigerians as well as all organs and tiers of government for sustainable solutions to the various problems plaguing the nation.
The governors, under the aegis of the PDP Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) specifically noted that the hardship and suffering being faced by Nigerians have no tribal, religious or party colouration, stressing that “a hungry man is an angry man”.
In a statement released on Saturday in Abuja by the Director-General of PDP-GF, Hon Cyril Maduabum, the governors further stated that their communique issued after a meeting held on February 12, was a patriotic intervention and wake-up call in the national interest.
They expressly pointed out that the buck ultimately stops at the President Tinubu’s table as the President and Commander- in- Chief of the Armed Forces.
The governors promised that they would continue to work collaboratively with President Tinubu in finding lasting solutions to “a very difficult situation created or exacerbated by the APC since 2015”.
The governors however condemned the positions of the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris; APC Governors’ Forum and other officials of the APC-led federal government who criticised the PDP governors for their suggestions, advice and patriotic intervention on the way forward for the country in a communique issued at the end of their recent meeting in Abuja.
They reminded the APC-led government of the pertinent need to be guided by the fact that it sought power to solve the problems of Nigeria not to compound them or shift blame, or grandstand or use propaganda to obfuscate or confuse issues.
“It must be noted that even though Nigeria is a Federation, there is indeed only one economy.
“Hardship and suffering being faced by Nigerians have no tribal, religious or party colouration. A hungry man is an angry man.
“While all tiers of government have a role to play, the APC-led federal government has a disproportionate role to play in mobilising Nigerians and all organs and tiers of government for sustainable solutions.
“If it cannot do so or is unable to do so, it should graciously throw in the towel.
“Attempts by the Honourable Minister of Information, APC Governors’ Forum and other officials of the federal government who criticised the PDP Governors’ Forum for their patriotic intervention should be guided by the fact that the APC sought power to solve the problems of Nigeria not to compound them or shift blame, or grandstand or use propaganda to obfuscate or confuse issues.
“PDP-governed states are comparatively the best in Nigeria in terms of developmental policies, programmes, and projects that benefit their States positively, regular payment of salaries, pensions, gratuities, and minimum wage to their workforce.
“State governments that are delinquent on these issues are not of PDP extraction. It is false to say so.
“Even the food crises are exacerbated by insecurity and high exchange rate issues, among others, which are largely federal subjects.
“The PDP governors as stakeholders in governance would continue to work collaboratively with Mr. President to find lasting solutions to a very difficult situation created or exacerbated by the APC since 2015. We believe in co-operative federalism,” the PDP governors explained.
Chuks Okocha
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