• Says Forum best platform to discuss issues
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Sunday, threw his weight behind the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) saying the forum remains the best platform to discuss issues affecting Nigeria.
President Jonathan made the remarks in Benin, on Sunday, after attending the thanksgiving service organised to mark the 50th birthday anniversary of Pastor Charles Osazuwa, General Overseer of Rock of Ages Christian Assembly International, RACAI, Benin.
The former President posited that the antagonism between the Southern Governors Forum and the Northern Governors Forum, following the former’s inaugural meeting held in Asaba last Tuesday, was uncalled for.
He stressed that the coming together of all the governors at a round table to discuss and proffer solutions to issues affecting Nigeria would go a long way in helping the president to address some of the issues affecting the nation.
“Governors themselves should continue to meet, I don’t really love a situation where the Northern governors will meet then the Southern governors will cry foul.
“Then the Southern governors will meet then the Northern governors will cry foul, that will not help our country.
“The governors through the governor’s forum should meet, they are the people who run this country, the President is just one person in Abuja,” he added.
President Jonathan pointed out that “the states, especially in a country where the local governments are very weak, it’s the states that people fall back to. So if the governors of the states meet and dialogue, interrogate things that are good for this country, then we will move forward.”
He condemned the antagonism among the governors, saying, “I don’t really enjoy the antagonism between governors, they should come together and discuss.
“If there are issues that are affecting one or two states, I think the governors should see how they can collectively come with a way to address those issues,” he added.
He also warned leaders and privileged Nigerians not to use their positions to oppress the people.
The warning, Jonathan noted became imperative because positions were temporary, hence leaders must learn not to use the positions to punish people as they would only be remembered for the impact they made on society.
The former president added that some of the things he did while he held sway as the president “are still being talked about today, and I believe that any position I occupy should not be used to cause the death of anybody.”
“Any position I have occupied which were by divine providence, it was my belief that it should not be used to create hardship for the people,” he said.
Credit: Nigerian Tribune