… He played major role in ‘killing’ forum
…Blame Nsirim for misinformation-Barkindo
By: Felix Ikpotor
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike to open up on the major role he played when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government introduced the “16 is greater than 19” political formula into the Governors’ Forum.
Yekini Nabena, the deputy national publicity secretary of the party in a chat with newsmen on Tuesday said Governor Wike is still living in the past when impunity was the order of the day, adding that the governor needs to wake up to the reality of a new era of justice, fairness and true democracy under the administration of the APC.
Wike had on Monday in Port Harcourt described the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) as “a toothless bulldog”.
He accused the APC-led Federal Government of destroying the NGF, alleging that the forum lost its strength immediately the ruling party came into power in 2015.
But reacting to Wike’s comment, the APC deputy said Nigerians should disregard Wike’s comment, stressing that the Governors Forum is well alive under civilised Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi.
His words: “Does Wike think Nigerians can forget in a hurry the major role he as a PDP minister played when the then Rivers State Governor, Amaechi scored 19 votes, but former Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang who scored 16 votes was recognised as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum?
“If the Nigeria Governors’ Forum has been “killed” as Wike states, it is clear who the killer and grave digger is.” Nabena stated while speaking to journalists in Abuja.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) the umbrella body of the thirty- six State Governors has said that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State remains an old and very strong member of the forum.
Reacting to Wike who lampooned the Nigeria Governors Forum, describing it as being a “beggars forum.”, the NGF through its Head of Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaque Barkindo said, “Wike is an old member of the NGF and a strong one at that, he could not have referred to the NGF as a Beggars Forum. Blame it on the author of the release, Mr. Nsirim the Information Commissioner in Rivers State who could not distinguish between the NGF and the Progressive Governors Forum which is the political platform of APC Governors
He stressed that the NGF has six core mandate areas and politics isn’t one of them.
“ The NGF is happy to state that Gov Wike is one of its strong members and has delegated his Deputy Governor to the Forum and she has never missed any meeting.”
“The NGF appeals to all media advisers to seek to acquaint themselves with the different groups that their Chief Executives belong to in order to avoid making such misrepresentations that are entirely political and not governance-related.”.
