By Charles Adingupu
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has been elected the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum with his Rivers State Counterpart, Governor Siminalayi Fubara emerging as the Vice Chairman.
The duo were elected on Saturday at a retreat for elected PDP officials at the Banquet Hall, Government House in Bauchi State.
Mohammed replaced the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who was also at the one-day event on Saturday.
The acting National Chairman of PDP, Umar Damagum, in his opening remarks at the retreat, said, “I want to reiterate, on the issue of the National Assembly, we have to know we are an opposition.
“In order to remain relevant, we must work together as one family. That’s the only way you’ll be able to ensure that your relevance is being determined.”
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, at the event, criticised the decision of President Bola Tinubu to remove fuel subsidy without providing alternatives, describing it as a knee-jerk policy.
“Between 1999 and 2007, the PDP government initiated the petroleum subsidy removal and I chaired the committee. We achieved subsidy removal in two phases but only after providing palliatives to those most affected by the subsidy removal,” the PDP presidential candidate at the February 25 poll stated.
“We have the experience as a party in government. That is what we would have done and not just announced subsidy removal without discussion with the affected sectors of the economy. I think Nigerians should appreciate what they have temporarily lost.”
