PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met with governors elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) over security and other issues critical to the nation’s development.
Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Governor of Kebbi state, Atiku Bagudu, told State House correspondents afterwards that the governors were also at the president’s office to congratulate the president for the election of the leadership of the National Assembly.
He said the governors thanked Buhari for the various interventions to states which he said had encouraged economic activities in the states.
Bagudu said: “This morning Mr President graciously granted audience to Progressive Governors Forum. We came to congratulate him on the National Assembly elections and thank him for the confidence he had in the Progressive Governors Forum members who participated actively in all the processes that led to the emergence of Senator Ahmad Lawan, as Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege as Deputy Senate President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as Speaker, Hon Ahmed Wase as Deputy Speaker.
“Furthermore, we used the opportunity to thank Mr President in all he has been doing and all the successes recorded in the areas which he campaigned upon and by extension our party which are security, economy and accountability.
“We are quite happy with his support for states where close to N2 trillion was given to states in the form of restructuring of loans, refunds on federal roads, refund for Paris Club, which has helped encouraged economic activities in the states, payment of salaries, payment of pensions, payment of gratuities and overall investment by infrastructural spendings.
“We are also appreciative of increased investment in agriculture which has been because of conscious decision to support agriculture as a way out of economic challenges and provide economic growth.
“We also congratulated that Mr President that despite the drop in incomes the value for money that he insists upon has begun to pay off in terms of more security across the country even though some challenges still remain. He is working hard on that with sincerity.
“Last and not least, we offered to work with Mr President continuously to ensure that we increase economic performance, the security of our country and social cohesion.
“We thanked Mr President for celebrating the Democracy Day consistent with the promise he has made which is a major element reflective of his democratic ideals in ensuring that an issue which is so important to many Nigerians has been finally addressed in a way that we are all happy.”
The governor said now that all branches of government are under the control of APC, the governors will push for more active collaboration between the federal government and the states for more investments “that can provide employment and incomes rapidly will increase. We will collaborate more to ensure that security is enhanced particularly when it involves state borders.”
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