Rivers Governor, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, on Wednesday urged incoming governors not to allow anybody to divide the Nigeria Governors Forum.
Amaechi made the call at a church service to mark his 50th birthday at Corpus Christi Cathedral, Port Harcourt.
The governor said that the country began to have problems with the Federation account when the governor’s forum became divided.
‘’ May God bless all the governors. For the new ones coming in, please do not let anybody break the Nigeria Governors Forum.
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‘’’It was after the Nigeria Governors Forum became divided that money began to miss in the country.
‘’When we were there, we would go and meet the President that some money was missing and we would not agree until the money was returned,’’ he said.
Amaechi also urged the incoming governors to assist President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to transform the country.
He commended Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo for standing by him during the crisis that rocked the Nigeria Governors Forum.
‘’ Let me thank the Governor of Edo for standing by me at the heat of the moment when my friends from the South-South left me.
‘’ Oshiomhole told me `I am not standing by you on party lines, but on principles’,’’ he said.
Amaechi said that he became governor through hard work and God’s blessing.
He also commended the people of the state for giving him the opportunity to serve them.
Amaechi thanked former governor of the state, Dr Peter Odili, for giving him the opportunity to serve his administration.
In his sermon, the Catholic Bishop of Port Harcourt Diocese, Bishop Camillus Etukudoh, urged Buhari to tackle the challenges facing the country.
He also praised President Goodluck Jonathan for his administration’s Transformation Agenda.
‘’For the incoming administration, the country has enormous challenges like insecurity, unemployment, epileptic power supply, corruption.
‘’ We pray God to give our leaders the courage to tackle these problems effectively,’’ he said.
Etukudoh congratulated Amaechi on his 50th birthday.
‘’ You have left no one in doubt that you are a courageous person with a vision. We also believe that you have touched the lives of many people from the position of Speaker to Governor,’’ he said.
The Bishop congratulated Rivers governor-elect, Mr Nyesom Wike , and called for peace and reconciliation in the state. (NAN)
