The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) has now been described as beggars forum by the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.
Mr Wike, a member of the NGF, accused state governors of the All Progressive Congress (APC) of turning the once powerful forum into beggars forum to protect the interests of the ruling party.
In a statement signed by Paulinus Nsirim, the state Commissioner for Information, the governor was said to have made the remarks during a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Monday.
The outburst of the governor is not unconnected to the silence of the NGF while one of its members and governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, was being disqualified from seeking a second term in office using the platform of the APC.
Mr Obaseki visited Wike yesterday, apparently seeking the support of his host and to tap from his wealth of experience on how he defeated political bigwigs in the state to secure his second term which he is currently doing.
The Edo helmsman also visited Akwa Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel. The host governor had similar issue when he indicated interest to seek re-election but finally triumph over his predecessor who was hell bent on ousting him. The embattled governor is being speculated of making plans to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to which messrs Wike and Emmanuel belongs to.
“Before 2015, the Governors Forum used to be very powerful as symbols of their respective states but APC killed it because they were protecting the interest of the ruling party,” the Rivers governor was quoted as saying.
“During one of the rerun elections in this state, my security aides were withdrawn thus exposing me to danger, the Forum did not say anything because the chairman was a member of APC.
“I told them then that what they were doing was wrong. Now they have become a beggars Forum even when there are constitutional infractions,” he said.
He also attacked state governors of the APC under the aegis of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) saying they were not progressives as they were being called.
“You can see that APC governors say that they are progressive. You can see how progressive they are when they keep quiet when a fellow sitting governor is disqualified from contesting elections,” the Rivers Helmsman added.
