State Governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have weighed-in on the recent suspension of handlers of the nation’s social investment programmes, including the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, urging Nigerians to be patient as President Bola Tinubu would only take further actions based on the outcome of ongoing investigations.
The governors, who on Wednesday night converged on Abuja to chart the way forward for the party in 2024, also expressed strong support for the Tinubu administration.
This was as the APC Professionals Forum hailed the swiftness with which the president responded to the allegations of malfeasance against the suspended minister, saying the development has sent a strong signal to all federal appointees that the President means business with his ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda.
The agenda of the meeting, which held at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge in the Asokoro district of the nation’s capital, was not immediately made available to newsmen.
Some of those who attended the meeting were the host, Senator Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), and Uba Sani (Kaduna).
Others were Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Ahmad Aliyu (Sokoto), Bassey Otu (Cross River), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), and AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, among others.
On the suspension of Dr. Edu, the governors said, “The functions of a government include encouraging good things and good appointees and discouraging bad things and bad appointees. But as it has to do with what you just said, it’s just an allegation, and in the wisdom of the president, it is being investigated. After the investigation is completed and the report is made available, the government will make a final decision. So don’t be in a hurry”.
In a brief chat after the meeting, Uzodinma said the essence of the meeting was to review happenings in the country.
He said, “This is the first meeting since the beginning of this year, and the meeting allowed us to review the goings on in the country and also agreed on how best to continue to support our Government and our party to maximise the benefits of the current policies of the administration.
“The Progressives Governors are united in supporting the APC-led administration of our President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We will continue to support him. We will take his policies to the grassroots and subnational leaders of our great party and ensure that our people come on the same page with the thinking of the government”.
He said the important objective of the administration is to secure the country and provide adequate welfare to Nigerians.
Ahead of the February bye-elections and rerun, the APC governors also expressed their readiness.
