The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has decided to set up a Legislative Liaison Committee to guide it on legislative matters and pending critical bills in the National Assembly and State House of Assemblies.
This decision was contained in a communiqué signed by Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and chairman of the forum, at the end of a virtual meeting held yesterday in Sokoto.
Also, the forum resolved to set up a legal affairs committee to guide it on local government, inter-state and federal government relations.
The communiqué read: “The Legislative Liaison Committee is expected to liaise with both the national and state legislatures on legislative matters.
“The legislative liaison committee is also expected to guide the forum on pending bills, including the Electoral Act Amendment and Constitution Review matters as it affects the PDP governors.
“The legal affairs committee is expected to identify and coordinate legal matters affecting the forum.
“In particular, the committee is expected to guide the forum on local government, inter-state and federal government relations.
“It is also expected to explore various infractions of the constitution by the Federal Government, including the arbitrary and illegal deductions from the Federation Account.”
The body urged President Muhammadu Buhari, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to play an impartial role in the in the forthcoming Edo and Ondo States governorship elections.
The governors advised PDP supporters to stay vigilant and ensure that “all votes are counted’’ and that “all votes count’’ in the states.
The forum encouraged all Nigerians to continue various efforts at containing the COVID-19 pandemic and urged citizens to lend support to the cooperative efforts between the federal and state governments in the fight against the pandemic and in reopening of schools in a safe and responsible manner.
The PDP Governors’ Forum formally welcomed Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo and congratulated him on his emergence as the party’s leader and candidate in the forthcoming September gubernatorial election in the state.
The forum equally congratulated Eyitayo Jegede on his emergence as the flag bearer of PDP in the forthcoming October gubernatorial election in Ondo State and promised to support him and the party to recover Ondo state for the PDP in the election.
The governors reviewed the various PDP congresses in all states of the federation and resolved to continue to support the party at all levels to enthrone internal democracy and consequently good governance in all the states of the federation.
It commended Uche Secondus, PDP National Chairman, and members of the National Working Committee of the party in the way and manner they conducted primary elections in Edo and Ondo States.
It further commended the party’s generally rancour-free congresses in many states of the federation and urged the party to continue to deploy conflict resolution mechanisms to resolve any disputes.