The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum has urged the Federal Government to strive hard to address the security challenge and economic hardship facing Nigerians.
The Governors said this in a communique issued at the end of their meeting in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The communique of the meeting, which was held on Monday, was read by the Chairman of the PDP-GF, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.
Mohammed said that the governors at the meeting reviewed the state of the nation, the hardship being faced by Nigerians as a result of the economic and security challenges facing the nation.
He said: “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.”
Mohammed said that the governors also reviewed recent developments in the PDP and committed to leading efforts to revamp the party to serve as an effective opposition in Nigeria.
He said that the forum also passed a vote of confidence on the Umar Damagum-led National Working Committee of the PDP.
Fielding questions from newsmen, Mohammed said the opposition governors were working closely with the President Bola Tinubu led-Federal Government on addressing some of the challenges facing the nation.
He said: “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 will provide some succour to our people at the lower level.”
He said it was Nigerians that voted for the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 general election.
He, however, said that while the PDP respected the sensibilities and sense of judgement of Nigerians, it had remained the most democratic and experienced party in the country.
He added: “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 subsidies.
“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.
“So we are giving concrete opposition, but not insulting anybody.
“But ultimately, the decision squarely rests with Nigerians and other organs in the country to make sure that we do things that will bring succour to all of us.”
Mohammed said that the PDP governors were 100 percent behind the party leadership on the September 21, 2024 Edo State governorship election.
He said: “There is no rancour, there is no division and we are very much behind the NWC.
“We are behind the state chapter of the party and indeed the state governor to make sure that we go together in unison to produce a successor for the most respected eldest governor in the governors forum,” he said.
Others in attendance were Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, Governor Kefas Agbu of Taraba State, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Deputy Governor Ifeanyi Ossai of Enugu State and Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme of Delta State.
