Southern Governors Resolution, Act Of Betrayal – Sen. Abdullahi Adamu

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Abdullahi Adamu
(APC, Nasarawa), has accused the Southern Governors Forum of
playing to the gallery with their demand for restructuring.

State governors from the southern part of the country, on
Tuesday, met in Asaba and issued a communique in which they
demanded the immediate restructuring of Nigeria and the banning of
open grazing in their areas of jurisdiction.

However, reacting to the development in an interview with
journalists in his country home, in Keffi, on Thursday, Adamu, who
was also a two-term governor of Nasarawa State, alleged that the
southern governors betrayed their oath of office and loyalty to
Nigeria, by their conduct and utterances.

Adamu said, “The recent meeting of the Southern Governors Forum
is an act of betrayal of the trust Nigerians reposed in them. Each
governor pledged and swore to an oath and they emphasised loyalty
to the sovereignty of this country. They also pledged their loyalty
to the President of the country. That’s their oath of office.

“While we accept the fact that we have freedom of association
and freedom of expression as citizens, they have failed to express
their views through the right channel. They are members of the
National Council of State. Every governor is a member of the NCS.
It also included former presidents who are still living.

“There is no better forum at their level to take a joint
decision than such a forum. The fact that they have taken a
decision as a divisive move does not speak well of their intention.
I feel it is a betrayal of trust. I think they are just playing to
the gallery.

“What they are saying is not new. Those things have become like
broken records, saying the same thing over and over again. Why
can’t they come to the appropriate body which is the National
Assembly to project their ideas?

“They have members in the National Assembly who are representing
them, if they have an issue that is so important as that which
borders on the constitution of the country, they should go there
and express their grievances.

“We would sit, debate it and see how best we can come out of it.
There can’t be Nigeria if everyone wants to have things happen in
his or her own way.

“There is a constitution and there is a framework that we are
supposed to operate as governors. To go outside it is a betrayal of
their oath of office. Each of them talking there, if you take a
look at what is happening in their individual states, they cannot
in all honesty and good conscience, challenge Buhari.”

In a related development, the Director General of the Voice of
Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu, appealed to Nigerians to be weary of
attempts by some leaders to hoodwink them into looking away from
the real issues.

He said this in a statement titled, “Southern Governors Summit:
Okechukwu Appeals For Caution, Canvasses Dual Restructuring,” which
he signed in Abuja, on Thursday.

Okechukwu argued that granting state governors additional powers
at this time would be counterproductive because it would put
democracy in grave danger in Nigeria.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Abdullahi Adamu
(APC, Nasarawa), has accused the Southern Governors Forum of
playing to the gallery with their demand for restructuring.

State governors from the southern part of the country, on
Tuesday, met in Asaba and issued a communique in which they
demanded the immediate restructuring of Nigeria and the banning of
open grazing in their areas of jurisdiction.

However, reacting to the development in an interview with
journalists in his country home, in Keffi, on Thursday, Adamu, who
was also a two-term governor of Nasarawa State, alleged that the
southern governors betrayed their oath of office and loyalty to
Nigeria, by their conduct and utterances.

Adamu said, “The recent meeting of the Southern Governors Forum
is an act of betrayal of the trust Nigerians reposed in them. Each
governor pledged and swore to an oath and they emphasised loyalty
to the sovereignty of this country. They also pledged their loyalty
to the President of the country. That’s their oath of office.

“While we accept the fact that we have freedom of association
and freedom of expression as citizens, they have failed to express
their views through the right channel. They are members of the
National Council of State. Every governor is a member of the NCS.
It also included former presidents who are still living.

“There is no better forum at their level to take a joint
decision than such a forum. The fact that they have taken a
decision as a divisive move does not speak well of their intention.
I feel it is a betrayal of trust. I think they are just playing to
the gallery.

“What they are saying is not new. Those things have become like
broken records, saying the same thing over and over again. Why
can’t they come to the appropriate body which is the National
Assembly to project their ideas?

“They have members in the National Assembly who are representing
them, if they have an issue that is so important as that which
borders on the constitution of the country, they should go there
and express their grievances.

“We would sit, debate it and see how best we can come out of it.
There can’t be Nigeria if everyone wants to have things happen in
his or her own way.

“There is a constitution and there is a framework that we are
supposed to operate as governors. To go outside it is a betrayal of
their oath of office. Each of them talking there, if you take a
look at what is happening in their individual states, they cannot
in all honesty and good conscience, challenge Buhari.”

In a related development, the Director General of the Voice of
Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu, appealed to Nigerians to be weary of
attempts by some leaders to hoodwink them into looking away from
the real issues.

He said this in a statement titled, “Southern Governors Summit:
Okechukwu Appeals For Caution, Canvasses Dual Restructuring,” which
he signed in Abuja, on Thursday.

Okechukwu argued that granting state governors additional powers
at this time would be counterproductive because it would put
democracy in grave danger in Nigeria.