Governors affiliated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have called on President Bola Tinubu to prevent his administration’s officials from making derogatory statements intended to undermine state governors. The appeal was made by Bala Mohammed, the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, during a meeting held in Jalingo, Taraba State, on Friday. The meeting, attended by nine PDP governors, culminated in a series of resolutions addressing concerns about the Federal Government’s approach to governance and its relationship with state governments.
“The Forum laments that instead of addressing macroeconomic and social policies to make them more humane, the Federal Government has resorted to tactics of blackmail,” Mohammed stated. He urged President Tinubu to exhibit statesmanship by discouraging his officials from engaging in blame games that unfairly target state governments with superficial interventions that do not address deeper issues.
Mohammed emphasized the governors’ commitment to standing by the Nigerian populace, who are enduring economic hardship, and vowed to take all legitimate measures to alleviate their suffering.
The forum also expressed strong support for Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, condemning what they described as the intimidation of PDP supporters ahead of the upcoming Edo governorship election. The governors criticized the political impasse in Rivers State, where court rulings have influenced party congress outcomes. They urged the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) to rectify these issues and allow Governor Fubara to assume his rightful leadership position within the party in Rivers State.
Addressing the forthcoming Edo State governorship election, the PDP governors condemned alleged statements by President Tinubu that they interpreted as attempts to compromise the election in favor of his party. They also criticized what they see as systematic intimidation of PDP supporters by the Nigeria Police, calling on the Inspector General of Police to intervene.
The forum also expressed concern over the Federal Government’s failure to distinguish between its own revenue and the revenue of the Federation, which should be allocated according to existing laws. They called for greater transparency from the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation in adhering to legal mandates, particularly those outlined in Section 162 of the Constitution.
In addition, the governors reiterated the need to separate the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation from that of the Federal Government, to ensure clear and constitutionally appropriate roles for each.
The forum also noted with relief the conclusion of the #EndBadGovernance protests, which had been escalating toward a potential national crisis. The governors commended their colleagues, particularly those from the PDP, for handling the situation in their states with maturity, preventing the protests from being hijacked by violent elements.
The forum expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during the protests and called on the Federal Government to ensure that those arrested are given fair and prompt trials.
Governors in attendance at the meeting included Bala Mohammed (Bauchi State), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa State), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers State), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta State), Godwin Obaseki (Edo State), Peter Mbah (Enugu State), Caleb Muftwang (Plateau State), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara State), and the host governor, Agbu Kefas (Taraba State).
