Governor Aminu Tambuwal, flanked by other PDP Governors addressing journalists after the meeting.
By Abasifreke Effiong
Nigerian Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have said that they cannot do anything about the security challenges facing the country because their “hands are tied”.
The Governors raised alarm that security of lives is no longer guaranteed in Nigeria under the APC led government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Governors have a role to play in the handling of some of the worsening situations, they regret their hands are tied behind their backs as the entire coercive authority in the country is monopolised by the APC federal government.”
At a meeting on Friday in Makurdi, Benue state, the Governors said they are deeply worried that ethnic differences are being stretched beyond limit by the Buhari’s administration.
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The PDP Governors in a communique signed by their chairman, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, blamed the worsening security situation on incompetent leadership by the APC led government, and accused the federal government of intimidating PDP Governors.
“The meeting was alarmed that security of lives and property of Nigerians are no longer guaranteed under the present government as a result of leadership incompetence and mismanagement of the nation’s affairs.”
“The meeting further condemned the intimidation of sitting Governors by the APC administration using all sorts of weapons like security agencies, unequal access to federal resources, promotion of divisions in the opposition political parties with fake promises and falsehoods.”
“We significantly condemn the double standards that are applied by the APC-led federal government to intimidate PDP controlled states. To this end, we call on Mr. President to lift the so called “No flight Zone” and other intimidating tactics, imposed on Zamfara State as similar measures have not been extended to similar states with security challenges like Kaduna, Borno, Katsina, Yobe and others. This is mostly politically motivated to ensure that the Governors move over to APC.”
The Governors called on the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, to review the current revenue sharing formula.
The Governors also advocated a devolution of power and restructuring of the country in a way that will guarantee the unity and peace co – existence if all ethnic groups in the country.
“We call on the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to send a new Revenue Allocation Formular that allocates more resources to States and Local Governments to Mr President for National Assembly’s action. It is a scandal that 21 years after the 1999 Constitution came into being, no new revenue formula is in place.”
“The Governors reaffirmed their conviction that an urgent devolution of powers and restructuring of the country in a way that brings together various groups and tendencies in the country appears to have become imperative and timely now as Nigeria cannot afford another civil war”, the communique read.
