On Wednesday, state governors voiced their firm endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s resolution to cease fuel subsidy payments in the country, along with other initial policy initiatives undertaken by the administration.
Under the umbrella of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), the state governors voiced their backing for President Tinubu during their inaugural meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Led by NGF Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the state chief executives expressed their satisfaction with the President’s decision to remove subsidies, praising his inclusive leadership and statesmanship.
They congratulated President Tinubu for tackling the fuel subsidy behemoth, promising to work with him to ameliorate the short-term impact of the decision.
In a prior statement, President Tinubu urged the governors to join forces with the Federal Government in addressing the pressing issue of poverty in the nation, emphasizing that the current level of impoverishment is unacceptable.
The President advised the political leaders to set aside their differences and work together to alleviate the suffering and hardship experienced by the people.
“We can see the effects of poverty on the faces of our people. Poverty is not hereditary; it comes from society. Our position is to eliminate poverty. Set aside partisan politics, we are here to deliberate about Nigeria and nation-building,’’ he said.
President Tinubu stated that the nation should be seen as one big family.
“We are a family occupying one house, and sleeping in different rooms. If we see it that way and push forward, we will get our people out of poverty. A determined mind is a fertile ground for delivering results,’’ he added.
The president said good governance would safeguard the future of democracy.
“Present in this room is our diversity in culture and politics, but we are one nation. The unity and stability of the country rest upon us”.
“We are in a democracy, and we have to nurture the democracy. It is a hard-earned system that is not easy to manage. If anyone thinks it is easy, look at other nations that have been democratic for over a hundred years”.
“We have managed ourselves very well to have a democracy. We have campaigned and arrived at our present destination. We must work for our people,’’ President Tinubu told the governors while assuring them that he would maintain an open-door policy.
The President said he was prepared to share ideas, strengthen institutions, and create bottom-up frameworks that will improve the livelihood of Nigerians.
The President also drew attention to the security problems in some states, admonishing the governors that all efforts should be put in place to tackle the security situation, without thinking it’s only for those facing it.
The Chairman of the NGF and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRasaq, thanked the President for the invitation to deliberate on the challenges of poverty and security, promising that the governors would support the Federal Government in meeting the targets of human development.
“The NGF will follow the tradition of working constitutionally and harmoniously with you,’’ he said.
The meeting, which was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima and new Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, had 22 governors and two deputy governors from Edo and Niger States, in attendance.
The governors made suggestions highlighting the plight of citizens in their states, assuring the President of their support in proposing solutions through the National Economic Council.
