The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has raised concerns over the economic hardships inflicted on the nation by the policies of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government. The forum has urged President Bola Tinubu to reassess Nigeria’s macroeconomic and fiscal policies.
President Tinubu’s decisions, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira, have contributed to a sharp rise in the cost of living. While these reforms aim to address structural issues, the governors argue that policy adjustments are necessary to prioritise the welfare and well-being of Nigerians.
This call formed part of the resolutions reached at the forum’s meeting held in Jos, Plateau State.
“The forum sympathises with Nigerians who are enduring severe economic hardship brought about by the policies of the APC-led Federal Government,” said Bala Mohammed, Chairman of the forum and Governor of Bauchi State, following the meeting.
“We call on the president to urgently review macroeconomic and fiscal policies to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians,” he added.
The governors reaffirmed their commitment to implementing policies in their respective states that would mitigate hardship and promote progress and development.
“All PDP governors pledge to relentlessly pursue programmes aimed at easing the burdens on our people while ensuring growth and advancement in their states,” Mohammed stated.
Concerns over Electoral Integrity
The forum also addressed the conduct of recent governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, describing the outcomes as a “rape of democracy.” It alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) manipulated results in favour of APC candidates, despite PDP candidates receiving the majority of lawful votes.
“The forum notes with dismay the subversion of democracy in the Edo elections, where INEC skewed the results to favour the APC candidate. This blatant manipulation undermines the will of the people,” Mohammed asserted.
Regarding the Ondo elections, he alleged that vote-buying and result manipulation were openly employed to secure victory for the APC.
The forum called on the judiciary to safeguard democracy and urged the National Assembly to amend electoral laws to prevent the sabotage of the electoral process.
Party Leadership and Internal Issues
Turning to internal party matters, the governors advocated for the National Working Committee (NWC) to convene a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting by the first week of February 2025. This meeting, they said, would facilitate broad consultations with key stakeholders to resolve the party’s lingering leadership crisis.
The one-day meeting in Jos was attended by the governors of Bauchi, Zamfara, Taraba, Adamawa, Oyo, and Plateau. Deputies represented Delta and Enugu states, while the governors of Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Osun were absent.