The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to cut the cost of governance by curtailing the number of his appointees.

The PDP leaders who met in Abuja on Saturday told the president that 48 ministers and several special advisers and assistants he appointed should be reduced to ensure the health of the economy.

The meeting which was the second within one week by PDP leaders, was attended by the party’s candidate in the last presidential election Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, PDP governors, party leaders in the National Assembly and members of the National Working Committee (NWC).

The Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed who read the communiqué at the end of the meeting, also advised that Nigeria should not go into any form of war with the Republic of Niger over the recent military coup in the country.

“Rather all tools of dialogue and diplomacy should be further employed,” Governor Mohammed further advised.

According to him, “The meeting emphasised the need for party discipline and re-iterated zero tolerance for anti-party activities and sabotage.

“No individual or group of individuals will be allowed to undermine the unity of the party and its processes.

“The meeting committed to repositioning and stabilizing the party. To this end, the healing and reconciliation process is in progress and yielding results.

“The meeting signalled that unity and loyalty are still core values of the PDP and would be rewarded.”

He pledged the commitment of the PDP governors and organs of the party to the presidential candidate and his running mate “to rescue the stolen mandate in the tribunal and would do everything lawful towards achieving this.

“The governors will work in partnership with the party at the states and national level to ensure good governance, transparency and accountability.”

Four PDP governors, Sim Fubara (Rivers), Eno Umo (Akwa Ibom), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo), were absent at the meeting. (New Telegraph)