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Back Labour’s demand for wage rise
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Seek level playing field from Tinubu, INEC for Edo, Ondo elections
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Hail Supreme Court judgement on LGs allocation
By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have expressed ‘dismay and grave concern’ at the mismanagement of the nation’s economy by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.
The Governors have, nonetheless, called on all Nigerians to refrain from anarchy as the nation marches towards the return of the PDP to power in 2027.
Rising from a crucial meeting in Enugu on Wednesday, the PDP Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF), under the chairmanship of the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, expressed full support for the demand of the nation’s
Labour Union for a substantial salary raise, describing it as ’eminently justified and therefore commands the total support of the Forum”.
The PDP-GF, in its communique signed by its Chairman, Senators Mohammed, however maintained that whatever agreement that may be reached between the federal government and the labour union concerning the wage increase ‘must take into consideration the ability to pay by the local government, sub-national and federal government”.
Ahead of the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States later this year, the PDP Governors admonished all the parties to the elections to ensure that campaigns are issues-based, violence-free and in strict compliance with the provisions of the electoral act.
They urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide a level playing field that guarantees transparent, fair and unimpeachable elections as any act of bias will be totally resisted.
The PDP Governors similarly urged President Bola Tinubu to show leadership, as a true democrat, by refraining from making any statement suggestive of political interference in the entire process.
The communique of the PDP-GF meeting, which was attended by the thirteen Governors, reads, “The PDP Governors’ Forum under the leadership of Governor Bala A. Mohammed, held a meeting at the Enugu State Government House, Enugu, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.
The meeting deliberated on a wide range of issues that border on our critical national interest, the state of our party particularly the forthcoming congress, the unprecedented hardship faced by majority of Nigerians as a result of the dismal performance of the APC-led Federal Government, the minimum wage negotiations, and the recurring issue of inter-governmental relations with special reference to local government autonomy and funding.
“Following exhaustive discussions and consultations, the meeting resolved as follows:
” 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.
“To ensure the successful conduct of the congresses across the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT”.
On the off-cycle elections in Edo and Ondo, the forum admonished, “all the parties to the elections to ensure that campaigns are issues-based, violence-free and in strict compliance with the provisions of the electoral act”.
The PDP Governors urged “the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide a level playing field that guarantees transparent, fair and unimpeachable elections as any act of bias will be totally resisted”.
They urged the President to “show leadership as a true democrat by refraining from making any statement suggestive of political interference in the entire process”.
On the issue of the nation’s economy, the PDP-GF said, “The Forum notes with dismay and grave concern the mismanagement of the economy by the APC-led Federal Government”
Continuing, the PDP Governors said, “The minimum wage negotiations are becoming unduly protracted. In the face of the attendant unprecedented hardship and impoverishment of majority of our people, the Forum resolves as follows:
“That Labour’s demand for a substantial salary raise is eminently justified and therefore commands the total support of the Forum
“While the Forum fully supports Labour’s demand, agreement must take into consideration the ability to pay by the local government, sub-national and federal government.
“While negotiations are ongoing, we appeal for restraint in both utterances and actions that could lead to the complete breakdown of law and order and ultimately, the collapse of the economy”.
On the issue of the recent Supreme Court ruling on Local Government allocation, the communique said, “The Forum believes in the efficacy of the local government system which ensures that governance is brought closer to the people as provided for in the constitution”
They vowed to “continue to support the autonomy of the Local Governments as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“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 Forum, which noted the crises in the Rivers State Chapter of the party, pointedly said that it is commitef to ensuring peace.
“The Forum has resolved to stand by His Excellency, Sir Sim 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 communique said .
The PDP-GF however noted with regrets that “the 16 years of tremendous development under the PDP-led Federal Government, during which the country witnessed single digit inflation, the establishment of the existing anti-corruption institutions and higher standard of living for every Nigerian has been eroded during the life span of the lacklustre APC-led Federal Government”.
The communique added, “The Forum identifies with the Nigerian populace in these troubling times and promises to bring back those good old days, of low inflation rate, affordable food, fuel and transportation, steady FDI inflows resulting in high naira value and the greater quality of human life as recorded.
“In that regard, the meeting commended the Governors of PDP-controlled states for their innovative approaches to governance in many fields especially infrastructure, education, health, women and youth initiatives and the timely delivery of developmental projects, across the country.
“The forum therefore calls on all Nigerians to refrain from anarchy as we all march towards the return of the PDP to power in 2027.
The meeting thanked the Host, His Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah for hosting the first meeting of the PDP Governors in recent times outside Abuja and for holding the Party together not only in Enugu State but in the entire South Eastern Geo-political Zone; as well as extolled his virtues and achievements as evidenced with major landmark projects and interventions”, it said.
