Rivers crisis: PDP governors declare support for Fubara  

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, Board of Trustees (BoT), National Working Committee (NWC) and other organs of the party have declared total support for the Rivers state governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara and his government.

The party chieftaibns said they would do everything possible to ensure the resolution of the political crisis in the state. 

They also advised those fanning the embers of conflict and crisis with the aim of distracting the governor and destabilising government to desist and allow him deliver good governance to Rivers people.

These, among others, were part of a communiqué issued at the end of the PDP Governors’ Forum meeting in Government House, Enugu,Wednesday. 

Other issues that topped deliberations at the consequential meeting included the upcoming party congresses, Edo and Ondo governorship elections, implications of Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy, protracted national minimum wage negotiations, state of the economy, among others.

On the Rivers political crisis, the communiqué, read by the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi state, Senator Bala Mohammed reads: “The forum notes the crises in the Rivers state chapter of the party and commits to ensuring peace. 

“The forum has resolved to stand by His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers state, while at the same time employing wider consultations with stakeholders for a peaceful resolution and thus find a lasting solution to the crises.”

The governors described as lackluster the approach adopted by All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government in addressing the growing inflation, worsening corruption and falling standard of living in the face of excruciating economic hardship in the country.

 The party chieftains tasked the federal government to be more pragmatic with tenable policies, actions and programmes that can rescue the economy from the woods, and set it on the path that can provide relief to Nigerians. 

Governor Bala said: “The forum notes with dismay and grave concern the mismanagement of the economy by the APC-led federal government.

“The forum regrets that the 16 years of tremendous development under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led federal government during which the country witnessed single digit inflation, the establishment of the existing anti-corruption institutions, higher standard of living for every Nigerian have been eroding during the last span of the lackluster APC- led federal government.

“The forum identified with Nigeria populace in this troubling times and promises to bring back those good old days of low inflation rate, affordable food, fuel and transportation, steady Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) influx resulting in high naira value and great equality 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, healthcare, women and youth empowerment initiatives and the timely delivering of developmental projects across the country.”