Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party have inaugurated three committees of the forum, namely Finance, Legal Affairs and Legislative Liaison.
This was one of the outcomes of the meeting of the forum held Thursday at the Conference Hall, Sokoto State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.
A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the Chairman of the Forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State says the Finance Committee is chaired by Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and has as members Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo and Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom.
The Legislative Liaison Committee has Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi as chairman, while Gov. Okowa, Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Gov. Emmanuel, Gov. Duoye Diri of Bayelsa and Gov Ben Ayade of Cross River are members. Rivers Gov. Wike is the chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee while Gov. Darius Ishaku of Taraba, Gov. Makinde, Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue and Gov Bello Mattawale of Zamfara are members
The communiqué said the meeting also dismissed rumours that its members were contemplating leaving the party, urging Nigerians to ignore rumour mongers and mischief makers trying to sow seeds of disunity in the party.
It said, “The party is one and there is no division in its ranks. The PDP Governors are concentrating on delivering democracy benefits to Nigerian people who elected them in various states.”
The communiqué said the meeting which was attended by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party received an interim report of the PDP Reconciliation Committee.
While commending the NWC for setting up the Committee, the meeting lauded the Reconciliation Committee on a job well done so far.
It said the meeting further resolved to strengthen the party to play its appropriate role as the bulwark for betterment of the lives of Nigerians.
“To this end, the meeting further reviewed how to make PDP more efficient and effective and ensure fraud-free primaries, so that the will of party members should always prevail in nomination of candidates, congresses and conventions. It resolved to support the electronic registration and update of the membership register of PDP nationwide,” the communiqué said.
The communiqué further read: “The meeting further resolved to continue to collaborate with the Federal Government to fight the scourge of insecurity bedeviling the country and urged the Government to take necessary steps to engage all major stakeholders. States that bear the major brunt of the security challenges should be supported more by the Federal Government to secure the country.
“The Forum reviewed the economic situation in the country and noted the recent increase in crude oil prices. It urged the Federal Government to use this opportunity to further diversify the economy and provide the enabling environment for Nigerians to thrive in all sectors.
“The meeting also noted that no member of the PDP Governors’ Forum is contemplating leaving the party. Nigerians should ignore rumour mongers and mischief makers trying to sow seeds of disunity in the party. The party is one and there is no division in its ranks. The PDP Governors are concentrating on delivering democracy benefits to Nigerian people who elected them in various states.
“We have equally set up a peer review mechanism to monitor and benchmark the laudable achievements of PDP Governors in their various states. Projects and services relevant to the lives, livelihoods and wellbeing of our people are our major pre-occupation at this time.”
