The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has received a warning from the Progressive Governors’ Forum to refrain from saying or doing anything that could incite the public against the federal government.
The Progressive Governors’ Forum Chairman and Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, stated in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday that the country’s security and economic problems required cooperation rather than finger-pointing in order to find long-term solutions.
In response to the PDP Governors’ press conference on Monday, during which they compared Nigeria to another Venezuela, Uzodinma said it was disloyal for those in positions of authority to act like ostriches when they knew exactly what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was doing to turn things around.
He claimed that although the PDP had listed the several economic issues they believed the nation was facing, they were unable to give a single fix.
The PDP Governors’ statement that “ultimately, the decision rests squarely with Nigerians and other organs in the country to ensure that we take actions that will bring relief to all of us,” according to Uzodimma, amounted to covert incitement of the public against the Federal Government, especially in light of the fact that organised labour had just given the public a 14-day notice of strike.
“As leaders, mere criticisms or even playing to the gallery for public applause is not the way to go. Engaging in blame games is also not the way to go. All of us are members of the National Economic Council, where we have the opportunity to make our input. I don’t think my colleagues have exhausted that avenue,” Uzodinma said.
The Progressive Governors’ Forum Chairman expressed his satisfaction that the PDP as a party supported the elimination of fuel subsidies, which are the root of the nation’s economic problems.
“I don’t know when they stopped supporting that economic policy, but they are familiar with the cliche that you cannot make an omelette without breaking an egg. We were all aware of the temporary hardship the policy would cause, but that will soon give way to prosperity.”
According to Uzodinma, he was aware that President Tinubu was exerting great effort to guarantee that the economy was restored so that Nigerians could once more celebrate.
He implored the PDP, particularly the governors, to urge Nigerians to exercise patience rather than defaming the nation’s reputation abroad.
He believed that for leaders to agitate the populace against the government would be a grave disservice to the nation.
