The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, along with the Board of Trustees, National Working Committee, and other party organs, have vowed total support for Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, pledging to resolve the political crisis in the state.
The forum also advised those instigating conflict to desist, allowing Governor Fubara to focus on delivering good governance.
These resolutions were part of a communique issued at the end of the PDP Governors’ Forum meeting held at Government House, Enugu, on Wednesday.
Key issues discussed included upcoming party congresses, Edo and Ondo governorship elections, the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy, national minimum wage negotiations, and the state of the economy.
Addressing the Rivers political crisis, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, stated, “The Forum notes the crises in the Rivers State Chapter of the party and commits to ensuring peace. The Forum has resolved to stand by His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, while at the same time employ wider consultations with stakeholders for a peaceful resolution and thus find a lasting solution to the crises.”
The governors criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government for its handling of the economy, inflation, and corruption. Governor Mohammed emphasized, “The Forum notes with dismay and grave concern the mismanagement of the economy by the APC-led Federal Government. The Forum regrets that the 16 years of tremendous development under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government during which the country witnessed single-digit inflation, the establishment of the existing anti-corruption institutions, higher standard of living for every Nigerian have been eroding during the last span of the lackluster APC-led Federal Government.”
The forum expressed its support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the ongoing minimum wage negotiations, stating, “The minimum wage negotiations are becoming unduly protracted. In the face of the attendant unprecedented hardship and impoverishment of the majority of our people, the Forum resolves: That labour’s demand for a substantial salary raise is eminently justified, and therefore, commands the total support of the Forum.”
Regarding the upcoming party congresses, Governor Mohammed called for inclusivity and fairness, saying, “In the spirit of the founding fathers of our great party who adopted internal democracy as the fundamental principle on which our party was built, the congresses 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 party.”
The forum also reaffirmed its support for local government autonomy and urged compliance with the Supreme Court judgment, with Governor Mohammed stating, “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 governments and sub-national governments while also ensuring that the system does not suffer.”
The meeting was attended by PDP governors, including Sheyin Makinde of Oyo, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, Agbu Kefas of Taraba, and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, among others, alongside other party leaders and stakeholders.