ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a critical look at the situation in the country and concluded that democracy will die if the party collapsed.
The party called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to know that the situation in the country has become unbearable and should immediately address the issues of corruption in his administration, worsening insecurity in the country, continuous fall in the value of the Naira, high fuel price, unbearable food scarcity and unemployment in the country.
This is even as the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed said that there’s no intention of selling or allowed the party to go into oblivion, noting that the country is suffering and there’s alot of hunger and anger in the land.
Speaking before entering into a closed-door meeting, the Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Adulphus Wabara said, “Our role as members of the Board of Trustee, the main organ of this party, is to ensure that this party did not die.
“If PDP goes under, definitely democracy will go under in Nigeria. We know that there are plans to turn this country into a one-party state but that will be only when we allow it. So we must fight for democracy in Nigeria and it is only the PDP that can do that. No body owns this party but other parties are owned.
He appealed to PDP members especially the National Working Committee to do everything to bring PDP back on track, adding, “there are so many issues and it is time now for us to address them, where necessary, forgive and forget and where necessary take necessary actions.
Governor Mohammed said that PDP needs to be strategic so that the country doesn’t become a one party state.
“We are hoping to make sure that we reposition the party, reduce and minimize rancor and division, which has characterized us in the past because of our size and our divergent interests. Certainly we don’t have the luxury of doing that.
“The country is suffering. There is a lot of hunger and anger, for the third time the country is looking up to us, we cannot continue to be the weeping boys or girls or women.
“We must close rank, give benefit of doubts to each other, give benefit of doubt to the party and that’s why we give them the vote of confidence in spite of anything.
“We don’t have the luxury of division and that’s why some of the offices that are creating perception problem, we decided to rest it, so that the various organs of the party from the Caucus, the BOT and NEC will be able to take decisive decision on them for the time being. Even that of the secretary that is causing disaffection we looked at the legal implications and we have rested it.
“So we are with you. Reconciliation must take place. Most people have their own groups here and there, but certainly it is not time for that. We are ready to give alternative to Nigerians.”
Lamenting the condition of the country, the governor said, “there appears to be no good governance in the country and we have said it yesterday. We will give vibrant opposition to the current administration so that at the end of the day we are not going to do it out of sentiments. We’ll do it with the insight of knowledge.
“At the moment, there is alot of despondency, disgruntlement, anger and hunger. we will make sure that at the end of the day we don’t do the blame game.”
On the possibility of including serving governors among the BoT, Mohammed said, “because of our peculiar position at the opposition, we may include all the serving governors to be part of the BOT, so that the wealth of experience they have and the challenges they have at the sub national level will be brought to table when we’re discussing with the conscience of the party, which is the BOT.”
The Acting National Chairman of the party, Amb. Umar Damagum, said that now that all 2023 election petitions are resolved, there is no better time to begin rebuilding the party than now.
“I also want to remind our BoT members that the task of rebuilding this party extends beyond the NWC. We are all stakeholders, and wherever you find yourself, you don’t have to wait for the NWC to speak up to protect the party; it is a collective responsibility,” he said.
At the end of its 76th meeting, the BoT expressed deep concerns over the biting economic hardship, high cost of essential life-enhancing commodities and alarming food scarcity in the country occasioned by the ill-implemented policies of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration and which are already causing restiveness and agitations in various parts of the country.
The BoT, which confirmed Wabara as its Chairman and former governor of Kaduna state as its Secretary in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017), raised alarm over the worsening insecurity in the country as evident in the rising cases of mass killings, banditry, kidnap for ransom and acts of terrorism by assailants.
The communique reads: “The BoT is appalled by the monumental corruption and unbridled treasury-looting in the APC administration especially the looting of billions of Naira meant for palliatives for poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
“The BoT is seriously worried over the fall of the Naira to an abysmal N1,500 to the Dollar, incessant increase in the pump price of fuel which now sells for over N700 per liter with long queues in various parts of the country.
“These have attendant negative consequences as evident in the nearly 30% inflation rate, 41% unemployment rate and alarming 46% poverty rate where up to 130 million citizens have sunk deeper into multi-dimensional poverty in the last nine months.
“The BoT is disturbed that the catastrophic economic and security situation in the country have left Nigerians hopeless, despondent, angry and constitute a present and immediate threat to the survival of the country as hardworking young Nigerians, professionals in critical fields as well as major multinational companies are now leaving our nation in droves.
“The BoT is distressed that there are no concrete and coherent policy, measures and steps by the APC administration to address these existential threats which have put the country in a precarious situation.
“The BoT calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to know that the situation in the country has become unbearable. Mr. President should immediately address the issues of corruption in his administration, worsening insecurity in the country, continuous fall in the value of the Naira, high fuel price, unbearable food scarcity and unemployment in the country.
“The BoT reassures the Nigerian public that despite the challenges, the PDP remains united, stronger and more determined in its commitment to working for the wellbeing of Nigerians and defending their interest at all times.”
Those who attended the meeting are; Bala Mohammed, Donald Duke, Babangida Aliu, Okwsikieze Nwodo, Ben Obi, Stella Omu, Sule Lamido, Sam Egwu, Achike Udenwa, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Sen. Mohammed Kakarfi, Josephine Anenih, Emeka Ihediohaon and others.
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