The Progressive Governors’ Forum has cautioned their counterparts in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against utterances and actions capable of inciting the masses against the Federal Government.
In a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma said the economic and security challenges confronting the nation needed a collaborative approach towards finding lasting solutions to them, and not finger-pointing.
Reacting to the press briefing by PDP Governors on Monday where they likened Nigeria to another Venezuela, Uzodinma said it was unpatriotic for those in leadership positions to play the ostrich when they were fully aware of what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was doing to reverse the situation.
According to him, while the PDP had catalogued what they perceived to be the economic problem of the country, they could not proffer a single solution to it.
Uzodimma noted that the statement by the PDP Governors that “ultimately, the decision rests squarely with Nigerians and other organs in the country to ensure that we take actions that will bring relief to all of us” amounted to veiled incitement of the public against the Federal Government, particularly coming on the heels of a 14-day notice of strike by the organised Labour.
“As leaders, mere criticisms or even playing to the gallery for public applause is not the way to go. Engaging in blame games is also not the way to go. All of us are members of the National Economic Council, where we have the opportunity to make our input. I don’t think my colleagues have exhausted that avenue,” Uzodinma said.
The Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum said he was happy that the PDP as a party supported the removal of fuel subsidy, which is at the heart of the economic challenges in the country.
“I don’t know when they stopped supporting that economic policy, but they are familiar with the cliche that you cannot make an omelette without breaking an egg. We were all aware of the temporary hardship the policy would cause, but that will soon give way to prosperity.”
Uzodinma said he was aware that President Tinubu was working assiduously to ensure that the economy is brought back to shape for Nigerians to rejoice again.
He enjoined the PDP, especially the governors, to encourage Nigerians to be patient instead of denigrating the image of the country before the international community.
According to him, it would amount to a great disservice to the country for leaders to tend to incite the citizens against the government.
