Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike stated emphatically that it is wrong for president Buhari to abandon issues of security for governors when it is his constitutional responsibilty to make sure Nigerians are safe.
He made this comment in reaction to the President suggesting that Governors do what it takes in their power to fight Fulani herdsmen in their states and not sit idle to wait on him.
He made this comment when he appeared in an interview on Arise TV,
However Wike argues that the President cannot just shift what is meant to be executed by him to Governors because he is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
The governor said in a statement issued by his spokesman, Kelvin Ebiri that Buhari’s government lacks strategy that can be used in curbing the insecurity issues in the country.
“Mr President, you’re the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. You appoint Inspector General of Police (IG), you appoint the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, the Commissioner of Police (CP), Director of Department of State Service (DSS) and other heads of security. Which one do we appoint? How can people appointed by Mr. President be under me?” Wike asked.
“It is not only to borrow money for Nigeria that you’re in charge. You must also be in charge of other things including security. Who signed order 10? Is it the governors? It is not when things are going bad concerning security, and you say you’re not in charge, and it becomes governors’ responsibility.
“Mr President should have come out openly and said, my APC governors, stop worrying me. Go back to your states and do your work. On that, I support him.
“Thank God, Mr President knows that I am not one of those that go to visit him over one problem or the other. I, as the governor of Rivers under PDP, you’ll never find me there,” the statement stated.
