State of the nation: PDP govs to meet Buhari
Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party are to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari over the growing insecurity in some parts of the country as well as the alleged politicisation of security apparatus in PDP-led states.
These are some of the resolutions of the PDP Governors‘ Forum during its meeting on Thursday at the Bayelsa State Government Lodge in Abuja.
The Forum stated that it was deeply concerned over the politicisation of security apparatus in some states allegedly by the federal government, and its agencies and the operatives of the All Progressives Congress in the various states that they are not in control of.
According to it, this could account for the growing insecurity in some parts of the country.
The Chairman, PDP Governors‘ Forum, Mr. Seriake Dickson, who read the communique of the forum in the early hour of Friday said the governors will meet Buhari over the issues on Friday or any other day he gives them an appointment. He added that the governors were in support of the state police.
He said, “The PDP governors express deep concern over the politicisation of security apparatus in every state by the federal government, and its agencies and the operatives of the other party in the various states that they are not in control of.
“We believe also that this is one of the reasons that you have this widespread insecurity. We will take up some of these issues when we interact with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by tomorrow or any other date he gives.
“We support the growing call for the establishment of State Police as a response to the worsening security situation across the nation.”
Dickson, who is also the Governor of Bayelsa State, said the Forum deliberated on the issue of alleged diversion of local government funds by state governments and condemned it in very strong terms.
He stated that no governor of the PDP was guilty of the allegation and challenged the FG and its agency to name the states and the governors, whether current or past, who were involved in the alleged diversion and the time the alleged diversion took place.
He said, “We as governors of PDP maintain that the PDP States do not indulge in such reprehensible conducts. No governor elected under PDP is involved in this allegation of LG funds for state functions or other activities.
“In our case, we know the reverse is the case. The state governments rather have been supporting, subsidising and funding LGs. We call on FG and the agency that has been making this allegation to name the state governments and possibly even tell us the date and the people who were in charge at the time this diversion took place because for us we do not indulge in it and we also want to join in condemning it.
“Therefore, we challenge the federal government to name the states involved and the period covered.”
Present at the meeting are the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and Secondus.
Governors present at the meeting include Governors Dickson; Emeka Ihedioha, (Imo); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo).
Some other governors include governors of Adamawa and Zamfara, Bala Muhammed of Bauchi and Dave Umahi, (Ebonyi.) Punch
