On Saturday, the PDP Governors’ Forum advised President Bola Tinubu against going to war with the Niger Republic.
Recall that the President had requested approval from the National Assembly to approve military action to restore democracy in the troubled Nigerian’s neighbour as part of the Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS) efforts to restore democracy in that country.
But the PDP Governors Forum, at their meeting in Abuja on Saturday, advised the President to use all tools of dialogue and diplomacy instead should be further employed.
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Mohammed, while reading the communique of the meeting, said the Forum “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.”
The meeting also emphasised the need for party discipline and re-iterated zero tolerance for anti-party activities and sabotage.
“No individual or group will be allowed to undermine the party’s unity and processes.
Mohammed stated that as part of restoring peace, the party has embarked on a “healing and reconciliation process”, which it said “are in progress and yielding results.”
“The meeting signalled unity and loyalty are still core values of the PDP and would be rewarded.
Mohammed stated that all the “Governors and organs of the party solidly support the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, GCON, and the PDP Vice Presidential Candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, to rescue the stolen mandate in the tribunal and would do everything lawful towards achieving this.”
He also assured that the Governors will partner with the party at the state and national levels to ensure good Governance, transparency and accountability.
The meeting, which was attended by Atiku Abubakar, former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and other leaders of the party, congratulated the party for empanelling the Campaign Councils for the off-session elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States and urged the Campaign Councils to ensure victory for the party in the three States.
While also counselling the Federal Government to show leadership in curtailing the cost of Governance, the meeting said, “48 Ministers and several Special Advisers and Assistants should be reduced to ensure the health of our economy.”
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Executive Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, who also spoke after the meeting, said his commitment to the overall interest of Osun State and her indigenes, irrespective of political affiliations, led to his support for the former Governor, Oyetola’s nomination for Ministerial position.
Recall that the Deputy Senate Minority leader, Lere Oyewumi, had announced the unanimous support of the Osun senators for Oyetola, citing a directive of the state Governor.
According to the Governor, “I told our Senators to support Mr Oyetola. There is no need to embarrass him by withdrawing the support of the three PDP senators. We have a state to develop, and my focus on that goal is total.
“Political maturity is needed to build the Osun of our dreams. Poverty knows no party difference. So we must support each other at all levels as long as Osun’s interest is at the centre stage”, the Osun Governor told the journalists.
On his plans for Osun state, the Governor told the journalists that he had just unveiled the Osun Business Growth Initiative, noting, “Our administration is working hard to develop the state business sector. So we need new partnerships with several federal and international agencies.
“I have the urgency to change this label of civil service state. We want our industrial sector to grow. So we have to develop the abandoned free zone. This will drive an inflow of investment. We hope to get the SME industrial clusters off the ground. We need mini-industrial parks all over the Senatorial district. We are reviewing the Omoluabi economic zone to make it truly functional.
“With the state cabinet in place, I seek to quicken the pace of our delivery. That is why we are hosting several delegations locally and internationally. That is why we are targetting national and global agencies.”
All the Governors elected on the party’s platform attended the meeting, except the Governors of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
