WIKE = The Governor's Forum has become a voiceless beggarly group

Wike said “Since 2015 when the APC took over leadership of the Governor’s Forum, everything died; the forum is is not what we used to have. It used to be a powerful forum. The APC has killed it and the forum is now focused on the interests of the ruling party, instead of focusing on good governance and interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.”

“When the IG (Ibrahim Idris) withdrew my security aides and exposed me to danger, the Governors did not say anything. Yari (Abubakar) was the (NGF) President and a member of the APC. I told them that they’re being captured, and today the forum has become a Beggars Forum because they have to beg for everything.”

He said the ongoing discussion on the Infectious Bill before the National Assembly showed show that the forum has lost its bite, relevance and failed to play its role as an integral part of the nation’s democratic process.

Wike also took a swipe at the Progressive Governors Forum, comprising state governors on the platform of the APC, stating that Obaseki’s fate was a slap on the union’s face.

The Rivers Governor warned the manner of Obaseki’s disqualification, despite the political implications for the APC, indicates that the ruling party was willing to throw caution to the wind and take the state by brute force.

Yet, he warned the ruling party not to use the Police and Security to manipulate Edo election, stressing it could unleash civil disobedience in a magnitude of what is currently happening in the United States, over the killing of an African-America.

“They cannot get away with using the security force and INEC to have their way because everybody will be involved. Edo people will be involved. See what is happening in the US with George Floyd’s death, nobody expected that just one death can lead to all that.”