Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has flayed attempts at using the Nigerian Governors Forum as a pressure body against President Goodluck Jonathan just as he differentiated the rested agitation by Niger Delta militants and the Boko Haram insurgency.
.
Speaking to newsmen on the just concluded African Movie Awards, in Yenogoa, weekend, Governor Dickson said governors should concentrate on governing their states and leave the running of the country to President Jonathan.
.
The governor also elaborated on the monthly transparency initiative, an exercise during which the governor and his economic team give details on revenue receipts and expenditure within the preceding month.
.
Noting the differences between the Niger Delta militancy and the Boko Haram insurgency, the governor said: "Whatever is driving them is very different from the factors that gave rise to the situation that we had here in the Niger Delta.
.
Whereas the insurgency in the Niger Delta was founded on economic issues – issues that had to do with deprivation of rights, the one in Boko Haram is religious fundamentalist so there is a clear distinction".
.
While commending the president for his courage in declaring the amnesty for the Boko Haram insurgents, the governor, however, acknowledged the fears of skeptics.
.
He said: "Those who say amnesty should not be extended to Boko Haram members also have a very strong point on account of the mindless and criminal, despicable and wanton destruction of property and lives. And even now, from what we are reading, they seem to say they have not done anything wrong and they are rejecting amnesty but on the part of the leader of a country, I think the President has done well by proposing amnesty."
.
Commenting on the recent crisis in the NGF which pitched some governors led by the forum's chairman, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and President Goodluck Jonathan, Dickson said: "Look, let me also make it clear; governors' forum is primarily a mechanism for peer review of governors who are equal.