PDP Govs Blame Current Hardship On APC’s Mismanagement Of Economy

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the aegis of PDP Governors’ Forum, yesterday, blasted the (APC)-led Federal Government for mismanaging the country’s economy.

Rising from their meeting in Enugu, the Enugu State capital, the governors, who deliberated on a wide range of issues bordering including the state of the PDP, particularly the party’s forthcoming congresses, unprecedented hardship faced by Nigerians, demand for a new minimum wage by organised labour and autonomy for the local governments, blamed the nation’s woes on what they described as “the dismal performance of the APC-led Federal Government.”

Chairman of the Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, who in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, said the notes with dismay and grave concern the mismanagement of the economy by the APC-led Federal Government. The communiqué read in part: “The Forum notes with dismay and grave concern the mismanagement of the economy by the APC-led Federal Government.

“The minimum wage negotiations are becoming unduly protracted. In the face of the attendant unprecedented hardship and impoverishment of majority of our people, the Forum resolves as follows: “That 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 governors expressed regret that “the 16 years of tremendous development under the PDP-led Federal Government, during which the country witnessed single digit inflation, 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.”

Declaring that they identify with the Nigerian populace in these troubling times the PDP governors promised that their party will bring back those good old days of low inflation rate, affordable food, fuel and transportation, steady Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows resulting in high naira value and the greater quality of human life as recorded.

They, however, called on Nigerians to refrain from anarchy in the face of the economic hardship, urging all to march towards the return of the PDP to power in 2027.

On the forthcoming congresses of the PDP, he said the party resolved that in the spirit of the belief of its founding fathers, who adopted internal democracy as the fundamental principle on which PDP was built, the exercise leading to the election of party leaders at the various tiers, must be all-inclusive, transparent, fair and in strict compliance with the constitution of the PDP.

The PDP governors also declared their stand on the off season elections in Edo and Ondo states, with an admonition that all the parties to the elections to ensure that campaigns are issues-based, violence-free and in strict compliance with the provisions of the electoral act.

They also urged 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. “We urge Mr President to show leadership as a true democrat by refraining from making any statement suggestive of political interference in the entire process,” they added.

On the Supreme Court ruling on local government allocation, the Forum said it believes in the efficacy of the local government system that ensures that governance is brought closer to the people as provided for in the constitution and pledged that it will continue to support the autonomy of the local governments as enshrined in the constitution. “Forum holds the Supreme Court in the highest esteem, and is committed to obedience to court orders.

However, the Forum urges that 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 while also ensuring that the system does not suffer,” it added.

On the lingering political crisis in Rivers State, the PDP governors, who said they are committed to ensuring peace, however resolved to stand by Governor Siminalyu Fubara. Twelve out of 13 governors of PDP extraction attended the meeting.

They are Mohammed (Bauchi), Fubara (Rivers), Peter Mba (Enugu). Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Umoh Eno (Akwa Ibom) and Douye Diri (Bayelsa). Others are Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Agbu Kefas (Taraba) and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara).