Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have declared support for the demand of the Nigeria Labour Party on the issue of the new national minimum wage
The chairman of the PDP governors’ forum and the Bauchi State governor, Senator Bala Mohammed,
stated this while briefing journalists on the outcome of their meeting held at the government house, Enugu on Wednesday.
He said “The meeting deliberated on a wide range of issues that border on our critical national interest, the state of our party particularly the forthcoming congress, the unprecedented hardship faced by majority of Nigerians as a result of the dismal performance of the APC-led Federal Government, the minimum wage negotiations, and the recurring issue of inter-governmental relations with special reference to local government autonomy and funding.
“The minimum wage negotiations are becoming unduly protracted. In the face of the attendant unprecedented hardship and impoverishment of majority of our people,
“Labour’s demand for a substantial salary raise is eminently justified and therefore commands the total support of the Forum
“While the Forum fully supports Labour’s demand, agreement must take into consideration the ability to pay by the local government, sub-national and federal government.
“While negotiations are ongoing, we appeal for restraint in both utterances and actions that could lead to the complete breakdown of law and order and ultimately, the collapse of the economy,” he said
On the upcoming party congress, Governor Muhammed said @In the spirit of the founding fathers of our great party who adopted internal democracy as the fundamental principle on which our party was built, the congresses leading to the election of party leaders, at the various tiers, must be all-inclusive, transparent, fair and in strict compliance with the constitution of the party”.
According to him, in order to ensure the successful conduct of the congresses across the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, the forum Admonishes all the parties to the elections to ensure that campaigns are issues-based, violence-free and in strict compliance with the provisions of the electoral act.
The forum urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide a level playing field that guarantees transparent, fair and unimpeachable elections as any act of bias will be totally resisted.
The Governor urged President Bola Tinubu to show leadership as a true democrat by refraining from making any statement suggestive of political interference in the entire process.
On the the economy state of the nation, the forum noted with dismay and grave concern the mismanagement of the economy by the APC-led Federal Government.
On the Supreme Court ruling of the Local Government autonomy, he said ” we will continue to support the autonomy of the Local Governments as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Forum holds the Supreme Court in the highest esteem, and is committed to obedience to court orders. However, the Forum urges that implementation of the court decision must be done in a manner that does not create a trust deficit between the federal governments and sub-national governments while also ensuring that the system does not suffer,” he said
Governor Mohammed said the Forum also noted the crises in the Rivers State Chapter of the party and commits to ensuring peace.
“The forum also resolved to stand by His Excellency, Sir Sim Fubara, Governor of Rivers State; while at the same time employ wider consultations with stakeholders for a peaceful resolution and thus find a lasting solution to the crises,” he said
The forum therefore calls on all Nigerians to refrain from anarchy “as we all march towards the return of the PDP to power in 2027”.
The forum commended governor Peter Mbah of Enugu state for holding the party together not only in Enugu but in the entire South East and extolled his achievements within a very short time in office.
Other governors in attendance at the meeting are Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Umo Eno of Akwa-Ibom, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, Agbu Kefas of Taraba, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, and Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, Douye Diri of Bayelsa, and the host governor, Peter Mbah.
Other participants include the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara and the Acting National Chairman of the party, represented by the Deputy National Chairman, South, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, former governor of Kaduna State and former Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, and former governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu.
