State governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have called on President Bola Tinubu to review his administration’s economic policies to address current hardship in the land.

The governors made the call in a communique issued in Jos, Plateau State, after their two-day meeting, which ended on Saturday.

The Communique signed by Senator Bala Mohammed, Bauchi State Governor, who is the chairman of the Governor’s forum, read, “The Forum empathizes with Nigerians who are groaning under the oppressive economic hardship foisted on the nation by the policies and decisions of the APC-led Federal Government.

“The Forum calls on the President to urgently review both macroeconomic and fiscal policies that will address the welfare and well-being of Nigerians.

“The Forum wishes to pledge that all PDP Governors will continue to aggressively pursue policies and programs that will reduce the hardship and ensure progress and development.”

The meeting, held at the Plateau State Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos, was attended by the principal organs of the party: NWC, PDP-GF, BOT, NASS Forum, Former Governors Forum, Former Ministers’ Forum and other leaders of the party.

The communique added, “The Forum notes the concerns of Nigerians, PDP founding fathers, elders and members of our great Party of seeming divisions within the ranks and files. The Forum wishes to state categorically that it remains resolute in its determination to ensure unity and cohesion of this great Party that Nigerians have come to trust as the best platform for democratic governance.

“The Forum is constrained to accept the latest postponement of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Party in empathy with our colleague, H.E. Governor Eno Bassey, whose late dear wife will be buried on the same day earlier scheduled for NEC. Once again, the Forum wishes to commiserate with our colleague and pray that God will grant him and the family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.

“The Forum is strongly advising the NWC to call NEC by the first week of February 2025 to allow for elaborate consultations with critical stakeholders of the Party. The period between November and February is to address the existential problems confronting the Party, with a deliberate timeline of activities within the period under review to address issues of leadership and litigations confronting the Party.

“The Forum notes with concern the rape of democracy in Edo Governorship elections. It is clear to everyone with a conscience that INEC manipulated results in favour of the APC candidate when, in fact, the majority of lawful votes were won by the PDP candidate, Mr. Asue Ighodalo. Meanwhile, we are still examining the documents in the Ondo elections, where the APC manipulated results after openly buying votes. The Forum calls on the judiciary to save Nigerian democracy and the National Assembly to look into our electoral laws to make it difficult for institutional sabotage of the will of the people.

“The Forum recognises the good work that the majority of members of NASS are doing. NASS is therefore called upon to critically interrogate all bills to ensure fairness, equity, national balance and even development nationally.

“The Forum commiserates with the Government and people of Plateau State on the recent Katako market fire incident, which destroyed properties worth millions of Naira. The Forum also commiserates with the Government and people of Jigawa State on the recent tanker expulsion whereby scores of people lost their lives, and several others were injured.

“The Forum expresses its gratitude to the Government and People of Plateau State for not only hosting the meeting but extending to all the participants the hospitality for which Jos is reputed. In particular, the meeting commends the Government of the State for the visible and laudable transformation in social services, tourism and transportation that have taken place and ensures all Nigerians look forward, with GENUINE HOPE, to the replication of this not only presently but after 2027 when the party would reclaim its rightful position in the Nigerian political scene.”

The governors who attended the meeting included Senator Bala Mohammed (Bauchi State) – Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum; Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau State) – Host Governor; Agbu Kefas (Taraba State); Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa State); Seyi Makinde (Oyo State); and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara State).

The Delta and Enugu state governors were represented by their deputies, Monday Onyeme and Ifeanyi Ossai, respectively.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students has also urged President Bola Tinubu to review his economic policies to provide short-term, medium, and long-term relief for Nigerians.

The NANS clerk of the Senate, Abdulyekinni Odunayo, made the call in a statement released in Abeokuta on Saturday.

According to him, the economic hardship is making life difficult for many people in the country.

He also lamented that the current economic hardship has forced Nigerians to endure needless poverty and hunger.

The statement added that the Tinubu-led government’s simultaneous elimination of fuel subsidies and floating of the national currency has further sunk Nigerians into economic despair, increased hunger, and hiked the cost of living for millions of residents.

Odunayo acknowledged that some students have benefited from the student loan programme implemented by Tinubu’s administration, but called for a complete economic reform so that Nigerians can experience the good governance that the President promised.

The statement reads, “There is an urgent need by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to put measures in place to arrest hunger, poverty, and impoverishment going on in the country.

“Nigerians are seriously groaning under the heavy burden of the present parlous economic situation. The nation has not had it this bad.

“The dual swords of Damocles of fuel subsidy removal and floating of naira have stabbed Nigerians in their hearts.

“Many families can no longer feed even once a day, let alone three times a day. Free falls of our currency against the dollar and other international currencies have capped the sufferings of Nigerians. Things need to improve as many Nigerians are finding it difficult to survive.”