By Becky Usman

The Labour Party, along with its presidential candidate Peter Obi, has expressed dissatisfaction with President Bola Tinubu’s offer of board slots to state governors, including those from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party. During a meeting of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq revealed that President Tinubu had asked governors to nominate competent individuals for positions on the boards and parastatals of federal government agencies, which were dissolved last month.

Tinubu had dissolved the governing boards of over 153 agencies, parastatals, institutions, and government-owned companies, opening up around 2,000 vacant positions to be filled by new nominees. Notable agencies included the North-East Development Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, and the National Universities Commission, among others.

While the Nigeria Governors Forum commended President Tinubu for extending the opportunity to governors across party lines, the Labour Party (LP) described the offer as a “gimmick” to entice opposition governments and party members into the ruling party. They emphasized that the presidency under Tinubu was seen as illegitimate and that their stance would remain unchanged until a court ruling.

Similarly, the PDP stated that it could not comment until its governors had reached a decision on the offer. Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate in the last election, also declined to comment on the matter. However, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) commended Tinubu for the initiative, seeing it as a step towards national integration and unity for sustainable growth and development.

The reactions from opposition parties reflect a diversity of perspectives on President Tinubu’s offer, with some expressing skepticism and considering it a political maneuver, while others view it as a positive step towards inclusive governance.