NBA WANTS GOVERNOR’S FORUM SCRAPPED

NATIONAL President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Okey Wali (SAN), has called for disbandment of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF) as there is a world of difference between the National Governor’s Association (NGA) in the United State of America (USA) where the practice is copied from and what the NGF in Nigeria is doing.

Wali, who canvassed this position at the opening of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the association Thursday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, said as a matter of urgency, the governors of the 36 states in the country should quickly resolve their crisis and get on with the business of governance which is the primary objective of their being elected governors.

Wali had insisted that if the governors can not resolve their crisis and face the delivery of democracy dividends to their electorate they must dissolve the body and stop the distraction as the citizens will call on them in or out of government to give account of their stewardship.

Beside the fact that the 1999 Constitution, as amended, does not give provision for a body such as the NGF, the NBA president said the governors’ forum is enmeshed in politics and power tussle unlike the USA governors association, the mission of which is to provide bipartisan forum for governors to exchange views and share best practice, identify priority issues and work with fellow governors to establish bipartisan position to influence key federal policies

On the state of emergency declared in three Northern states, Wali said the Bar supported the declaration subject, however, to the security agencies abiding by their rule of engagement which will guarantee respect for fundamental human right of the citizen concern in compliance with the rule of law.

Source: Guardian