Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, has disagreed with his counterpart in Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, insisting that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) is not a toothless bulldog.
Wike, had while addressing a press conference on Monday in Port Harcourt described the Forum as a “toothless bulldog that had lost focus on its role in defending the rule of law in the country”, adding that the body used to be “non-partisan and a powerful voice on national issues.”
But speaking in Abuja after submitting his nomination form, Akeredolu stated: “Wike has his own assessment that governors forum is now toothless bulldog, I don’t believe so. Governors’ forum has been involved in many things; we have engaged the executive in the national economic council and we have gained a lot for our respective state, it is not an easy thing. We have had to meet with the president on a lot of challenges.
“We are engaged with the Central Bank of Nigeria almost every day, we have meetings and even now virtual meetings always almost every other week. All we go there to discuss is about our states and relationship with the federal government.
“There are so many things that the forum has achieved. If in Wike’s view, one thing is missing or one thing was not done, it cannot be something you used in judging governor’s forum. We are engaged with World Bank, we have people working for us with world Bank doing everything and that’s to the benefits of all our states, including Rivers State. So, for me, I don’t know his basis, he has his own way, he has his judgment, we all have our judgments. For me, Nigeria Governors’ Forum is not a toothless bulldog for the reasons have stated.”
