ABUJA- THE Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, the umbrella body of the thirty- six State Governors said yesterday 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, “Beggars Forum: 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. 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.
“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.” Recall that Governor Wike had taken a swipe at the Governors Forum, describing it as being a “beggars forum.
” Wike’s attack on the forum, of which he is a member, was apparently in connection with the travails of Governor Godwin Obaseki who has been disqualified by the All Progressives Congress (APC) from contesting the forthcoming governorship primary of the party in Edo state. Obaseki’s disqualification on Friday climaxed the protracted political battle between him and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole, who is the APC national chairman.
