Following the recent coup in Niger, Nigeria’s largest opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has advised President Bola Tinubu to abandon any plans for conflict with the Republic of Niger.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, stated this following a meeting of PDP chieftains in Abuja.
“The meeting advised the President, Commander in Chief, and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria not to go into any form of war with the Republic of Niger over the recent military coup in the country, rather all tools of dialogue and diplomacy should be further employed,” he said on Saturday.
President Tinubu should also cut the cost of governance by reducing the number of ministerial appointees, the PDP chieftain said.
“The meeting counselled the Federal Government to show leadership in curtailing the cost of governance,” he added. “Forty-seven ministers and several special advisers and assistants should be reduced to ensure the health of our economy by reducing costs.”
He equally noted that the healing and reconciliation process in the party is yielding results.
“No individual or group of individuals will be allowed to undermine the unity of the party and its processes,” the governor maintained.
The meeting, which was held behind closed doors, had the presidential candidate of the party in the last election, Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, in attendance, among PDP chieftains.