TheCable

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have asked the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government to throw in the towel if it has no solution to the pervasive economic hardship.

In a statement issued on Saturday, CID Maduabum, director-general of the PDP governors’ forum, said the suffering in the land is becoming unbearable.

“It must be noted that even though Nigeria is a federation, there is indeed only one economy,” the statement reads.

“Hardship and suffering being faced by Nigerians have no tribal, religious or party colouration. A hungry man is an angry man.

“While all tiers of government have a role to play, the APC-led federal government has a disproportionate role to play in mobilising Nigerians and all organs and tiers of government for sustainable solutions.

“If it cannot do so or is unable to do so, it should graciously throw in the towel.

“Attempts by the Honourable Minister of Information, APC Governors’ Forum and other officials of the federal government who criticised the PDP Governors’ Forum for their patriotic intervention should be guided by the fact that the APC sought power to solve the problems of Nigeria not to compound them or shift blame or grandstand or use propaganda to obfuscate or confuse issues.

“If it cannot do so or is unable to do so, it should graciously throw in the towel.”

The forum said states governed by PDP governors are doing better than APC controlled states in terms of developmental policies, programmes, and projects that benefit the people, including regular payment of salaries, pensions, gratuities, and minimum wage to their workforce.

The governors, however, said as stakeholders, they will work with the president to address the hardship in the country.

“Even the food crises are exacerbated by insecurity and high exchange rate issues, among others, which are largely federal subjects,” the forum said.

“The PDP Governors as stakeholders in governance would continue to work collaboratively with Mr. President to find lasting solutions to a very difficult situation created or exacerbated by the APC since 2015.

“We believe in cooperative federalism.

“The buck ultimately stops at Mr. President’s table as the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria, the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the federation, the chief salesman and leader of Nigeria.”

The governors said there is “no doubt” that Tinubu is “trying his best”, but they hope that “his best is good enough to take Nigeria out of the woods in the shortest possible time”.