The governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to restructure Nigeria’s security architecture.
The governors, who met in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday, made their demand via a communique issued to journalists after their meeting.
They took a swipe at the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government in confronting the numerous security challenges, noting that the strategies deployed to confront terrorists, kidnappers, bandits and other criminals is still a major problem for the current administration.
“The meeting expressed regrets that Mr President is unwilling, from his recent comments discountenancing the proposals for state policing, to participate in reviewing the structural problems of tackling insecurity in Nigeria,” the communique read.
The governors want “Mr President to reconsider his position and consider decentralisation and restructuring of the security architecture as the most viable solution, together with proper arming, funding and training requirements for security agencies.”
In decrying the state of the economy, the PDP governors said the “Nigerian Economy has continued to deteriorate and Nigerians have become numb and accustomed to bad economic news as exemplified by the inconsistent and differential exchange rate regime, high interest rates, unsustainable unemployment figures and borrowing spree some of which have not been applied to important projects, and other bad economic indicators.”
They said that under the PDP government in 2015, the exchange rate was ₦198 per Dollar, it is now almost ₦500 to a Dollar under APC In 2015.
On unemployment, they knocked the Federal Government for the increasing number of unemployed Nigerians.
According to them, the unemployment rate was 7.3% under PDP, adding that it is now 33%, one of the highest in the world under APC.
The governors added, “In 2015, the Pump price of Petroleum was ₦87 per litre, it is now ₦165 per litre and climbing under APC. Debt Servicing now under APC takes over 98% of the Federal budget. The tales of woe is endless.
“In particular, it is clear that the APC Government is a massive failure when compared with the records of PDP in government. The PDP handed over a $550 billion economy (the largest in Africa), but under APC, Nigeria is the Poverty Capital of the world.”
On the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, the governors asked the National Assembly to quickly conclude deliberations on the bill.
Specifically, they urged the federal lawmakers to either override President Buhari’s veto or delete areas of complaints.
The governors explained that an early concluded Electoral Act is vital for credible elections.
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