Governors’ Approval Of $1bn Insurgency Fund, Illegal – Wike

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has described as illegal the approval of $1billion from Excess Crude Account (ECA) by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) for the Federal Government to fight insurgency in the North-East.
Wike, who spoke with the State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, last Friday, also proposed that $1billion be withdrawn from the ECA to tackle environmental challenges in the Niger Delta.
Giving reasons why he was at the State House, the governor said he came to update the President on security developments in Rivers State.
Reacting to the approval given by the NGF for the withdrawal of $1billion from the ECA for the fight against insurgency, Wike said while he had given his support to the fight against insurgency, the approval by the forum was illegal.
According to him, “For me, it is illegal, however, we are talking about fighting insurgency, and no right thinking individual will say that he will not support the government to fight insurgency.
“But on the other hand, I believe that we have been talking about the environmental issues in the Niger Delta, particularly in Ogoni land. I believe that we can also take the same money from the excess crude account to fund the problem in Ogoni land and other Niger Delta areas. That is my position.”
Wike described his relationship with the president as cordial, adding that their discussion also bordered on other developmental issues in the state.
The governor said, “I’m happy with the discussion, and I believe that something has to be done about (security) it. Nothing political, just security issues that affect the state and things that may lead to the breakdown of law and order.
“We talked on security challenges, and he received me very well. We don’t have any bad relationship; I come here when he asked me to come.”
On the allegation that he manipulated Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congress to install his candidate as chairman of the party, Wike dismissed the spurious speculation, saying it was impossible for an individual to install a party chairman in the country.