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Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have asked the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to quit the scene if it feels overwhelmed by the economic and security challenges plaguing the country.
There have been brickbats between the opposition governors and some officials of the President Bola Tinubu-led Government over the economic hardship facing Nigerians.
On Monday, February 12, 2024, the PDP folks, under the leadership of Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, said Nigeria under Tinubu was almost on the path to becoming Venezuela.
The comment followed the recent rise in food prices and other economic difficulties that have made life unbearable for many Nigerians.
However, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who responded to the remark in a statement, stated that drawing parallels between Nigeria and Venezuela was mischievous.
He argued that many PDP governors have failed to fulfil obligations such as paying minimum wage, gratuities, and pensions in their various states.
In their latest rebuttal, the opposition governors explained that they patriotically offered advice to the Federal Government, with suggestions on initiatives that involve both the Federal and State Governments to address the prevalent security and economic challenges.
This was contained in a statement issued on Saturday, February 17, 2023, by the Director General of the PDP Governors Forum, Cyril Maduabum.
Maduabum further explained that the suggestions and advice were offered as contributions from a group of patriotic governors, who actively participate in governance.
The forum commended the President for convening a special meeting to address some of the issues raised and called for urgent implementation of the meeting’s resolutions.
“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 can not 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 cooperative federalism.
“The buck ultimately stops at Mr. President’s table as the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria, the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation, the Chief Salesman and leader of Nigeria.
"We are not in doubt that he is trying his best. We only hope and pray that his best is good enough to take Nigeria out of the woods in the shortest possible time,” the statement partly read.