Governors on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into law the electoral bill before him.
They spoke yesterday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, at their forum’s meeting on the state of the nation.
The party’s national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, expressed optimism that the PDP would return to power in 2023, given the enthusiasm of Nigerians towards the party.
According to the statement after the meeting, the governors expressed the readiness of their party to take over the Presidency from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Governors at the meeting were: Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia, Vice Chairman); Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa, member); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom, member); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi, member) and Douye Diri (Bayelsa, member).
Others are Samuel Ortom (Benue State, member); Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta, member); Godwin Obaseki (Edo, member); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu, member); Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde (Oyo, member) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers, member).
The statement read;
“The governors frowned at the duplicity, inconsistency, insincerity of the APC-led Federal Government on the fuel subsidy regime, which has been badly and corruptly administered. The figures of consumption ascribed to Nigerians appear fictitious and bloated. They called for a proper investigation to be conducted on this matter.
“The forum welcomed the court decision on Police Trust Fund deductions from the Federation Account, a suit at the instance of Rivers State, and urged the Federal Government to stop similar unconstitutional deductions from the Federation Account.
“In the same vein, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission should expedite action on the new Revenue Allocation formula in such a way as to increase allocation to states and local governments.
“The forum once again deplored the way and manner the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is being run as an alternate government; indeed, a government within a government. It is time to streamline its functions and processes to be constitutionally compliant.
“The forum once again decried the opaque nature of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) operations. They called for accountability and reconciliation of NNPC’s remittances into the Federation Account…”
“As the National Assembly winds down this current phase of the Constitution Review exercise, the forum urged that they revisit the issue of devolution of more powers to the states and local governments.
“This opportunity to rejig the framework for policing and securing Nigeria should not be missed. To this end, the forum would set up a Panel of Consultants to have a thorough look at the security architecture of Nigeria and make recommendations.
“The governors also urged the National Assembly to transfer some items from the Exclusive Legislative List to Concurrent List.
“The PDP governors congratulated (Bayelsa State) Governor Douye Diri on his second anniversary in office as he has made a positive difference for the people of Bayelsa State. They thanked him for being such a gracious and wonderful host”.
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