The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday after its regular Governors Forum Meeting at the residence of Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, in Umuobikawa Obingwa Local Government Area, Aba, Abia State urged Nigerians to save the country by rejecting the All Progressives Congress (APC) come 2023 election.
The meeting which was attended by 12 PDP governors and one Deputy Governor lasted for two days and on the final day, the form came out with a strong communique that was read out to the Press by its chairman, Aminu Tambuwal, the Governor of Sokoto State.
Reading out the communique Tambuwal said that the PDP Governors reviewed the excruciating hardship and suffering being meted out to Nigerians by a failed APC led Federal Government; the near-collapse of the APC as a viable political party, the readiness of the PDP to take over and offer qualitative leadership options to rescue the nation and issued the following Communique:
Tambuwal also said that the PDP lament the terrible pain and hardship facing Nigerians in virtually all aspects of life and noted that life was much better in 2015 under the PDP than today under the APC as exemplified in the comparative indicators they obtained mainly from the National Bureau of Statistics.
He said, “Diesel which is critical for the running of SMEs was N131.47 in 2015, it now costs above N700. The official and Black-Market price of fuel was N87/155 in 2015, it now costs N167/350. Aviation Fuel/Air Ticket Rate on Domestic Flights was N110 per Litre/N18,000 in 2015, it now hovers around N700 per Litre/N70,000, where available.”
Tambuwal said that indeed, the scarcity of fuel which has resulted in the loss of several man-hours is a disgrace to Nigeria and lamented that in seven years under the APC led administration, the National Grid has collapsed 126 times from June 2015 to March 2022.
According to him, “Kerosene used by the ordinary Nigerian for cooking and power was N180 in 2015, it now sells at N450. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) – 12.5kg Cylinder sold for N2,400 in 2015, is now sold at between N8,750 and N10, 000.
“Prices of basic foodstuffs are now three times higher than what they used to be in 2015. Staple foods such as rice, beans, cassava flakes are now slipping out of the hands of average Nigerians. Indeed, a Bag of Rice sold for N8500 in 2015 is now N39,000.
He said that currently, 18 Federation Revenue Agencies are not paying/remitting any revenue to the FAAC Account and listed the agencies to include (i) Central Bank of Nigeria (ii) Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) (iii) Nigeria Liquefied National Gas (NLNG) (iv) Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) (v) Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) (vi) NPA (vii) Security and Exchange Commission.
He charged Nigerians to as a matter of urgency, use this voting power to remove APC come 2023 reiterating that the PDP is ready to rescue the nation through coordinated and we’ll programmed leadership.
Among Governors at the meeting include the host, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia State, Vice Chairman of the forum, Gov. Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom State, Member, Gov. Douye Diri, Bayelsa State, Member, Gov. Samuel Ortom, Benue State, Member and Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State who is also a member.
Others present at the meeting are Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu State, Member, Gov. Nyesom Wike, Rivers State, Member, Gov. Oluseyi Makinde, Oyo State, Member, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri, Adamawa State, Member, Gov. Godwin Obaseki, Edo State, Member, Gov. Bala Mohammed, Bauchi State, Member and Taraba State Deputy Governor representing Gov. Darius Ishaku.
