‘Don’t shift the responsibility of securing lives in Nigeria to governors,’ Wike tells Buhari

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday told President Muhammadu Buhari not to shift his constitutional responsibility of securing lives and property of Nigerians to the state governors.

The governor, according to a statement issued by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, made the call while commissioning the 21 kilometres Odufor-Akpoku-Umuoye Road in Etche local government area of the state.

He said the President as the Commander-In-Chief of the country’s Armed Forces cannot declare that governors are in charge of security in their various states.

The President had last Thursday accused some governors of incompetence over their handling of the farmers-herders clashes in their states.

Buhari, who stated this in an interview with Arise TV, said he recently sent two South-West governors back to their states when they came to Presidential Villa, Abuja, to complain about insecurity in their states.

Wike challenged the Federal Government to admit it can no longer fulfill promises made to Nigerians and lead the country out of its present challenges.

READ ALSO: If Buhari allows free and fair election in Edo, we’ll go to Aso Rock to thank him —Wike

He said: “Mr. President, you are the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. You appoint Inspector-General of Police, you appoint the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, the Commissioner of Police, Director of Department of State Service, and other heads of security.

“Which one do we appoint? How can people appointed by Mr. President be under me?”

“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?”

He also challenged Nigerians to compare the performances of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP and All Progressives Congress (APC) governors in office.

Wike added: “Mr. President was short of calling names of those governors who run to Aso Rock when they are supposed to stay in their states to see the needs of their states and people.

“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.”

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