The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) has said Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers State, couldn’t have describe a body he belongs to as beggars.
The NGF said this is because the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor is not just an active member of the NGF but a strong one at that.
Mr Wike in a statement signed by Paulinus Nsirim, Rivers Information Commissioner, described the umbrella body of state governors headed by Kayode Fayemi, the governor of Ekiti, as beggars for failing to speak up when his security details were withdrawn prior to last year’s general election.
He gave another example to buttress his point, citing the disqualification of Godwin Obaseki, another member of the forum, who has been prevented from seeking re-election on the platform of the APC which he currently belongs to.
Mr Obaseki was disqualified over his academic credentials said to be deceptive but political analysts are citing his political battle with Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the ruling party, as reason for his disqualification.
“Governor 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,” the NGF’s Head of Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaque Barkindo, said in a statement.
“Blame it on the author of the release, Mr [Paulinus] Nsirim, the Information Commissioner in Rivers State, who couldn’t distinguish between the NGF and the Progressive Governors Forum which is the political platform of APC Governors.
“The NGF has six core mandate areas and politics isn’t one of them. The NGF is happy to state that Governor 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,” the statement added.
