Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Thursday, pledged support to federal government’s effort to stem the tide of growing security concern in the country.
Sokoto state governor and chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Aminu Tambuwal stated this at the end of a meeting of the governors held at the Sokoto Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.
The meeting which had in attendance almost all the PDP governors, followed quickly on the heels of a similar one held by the party’s Board of Trustees at the party’s secretariat in Abuja.
Addressing journalists at the end of the meeting which lasted over five hours, Tambuwal said the PDP governors would not politicize insecurity, hence, their resolve to join hands with the federal government to tame the monster.
“It was a very productive meeting. We reviewed the situation of the country, the security challenges in the country.
“As governors of the PDP, we have agreed and resolved to continue to work with the federal government with the sole aim of re-establishing peace in troubled areas of the federation.
“We must not play politics with security and we must all work together to ensure that we bring back peace in our land. So we have agreed to continue to work with the federal government in that regard,” he said.
Tambuwal also let newsmen into the heart of the issues deliberated upon by the PDP governors, saying, “on the general economic well being of the country, we are appealing to Mr President, to reconsider certain measures, and we are appealing to him to actually bring more succour and relief to the people of Nigeria and support state governments in the discharge of their mandate, by making available resources to the states.
“That will enable us execute our mandate and ensure that we engender good governance and good condition of living in our respective states throughout the country.”
On effort to reconcile aggrieved members of the party, the governor said the Saraki-led committee has submitted an interim report to the forum and encouraged the committee members to continue in its rebuilding effort.
He ruled out the possibility of any governor leaving the PDP for another party, noting that “most, if not all of the governors of the PDP attended this meeting.
“This is a very clear statement that no governor of PDP is contemplating leaving the party for any other party.
“We are brothers and we have committed ourselves to the party and will ensure that we will continue to deliver on our mandate to the people of our respective states who have agreed to work together with the National working committee of the party for us to continue with what we started earlier on e-registration of members of the party,” he added.
The forum, according to the governor has set up a committe on legislative matters to be chaired by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state, a committe on legal matters to be chaired by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state and a Finance committee led by the Abia state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu. The three committees, he said, have been integrated to work together in furtherance of the cause of the party.
Speaking earlier, Saraki said the Reconciliation and Strategy Committee will continue to work with all organs of the party, including the Governor’s Forum to reposition the party for current and future challenges.
The meeting was attended by a horde of PDP governors including Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state.
Others were Godwin Obaseki, Adamu Fintiri, Bala Mohammed, Ben Ayade, Samuel Ortom and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, governors of Edo, Adamawa, Bauchi, Cross River, Benue and Enugu states respectively.
Also in attendance were former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, ex-Katsina state governor, Ibrahim Shema, former Gombe state governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo and erstwhile governor of Cross River state, Liyel Imoke among others.
