Chairman, Northern Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor of Niger State, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, has said that the NGF cannot be intimidated over its position on the Petroleum Industries Bill (PIB) and agitation for the creation of state police.
Aliyu, who stated this yesterday while receiving traditional rulers in Minna who paid him homage on the Sallah celebration, said the issue of the onshore/ offshore dichotomy was not settled yet as some Nigerians would want the people to believe.
According to him, if the nation can discuss the amendment of the Constitution which is the supreme law guiding the country, nothing should stop the people from dialoguing on the issue of onshore/ offshore dichotomy.
He said: “We notice that there are many things that will affect our people and we need to discuss them; we need to understand how to approach our members at the national and state assemblies when issues like these come up. We need to discuss it so that the interest of our people who elected us would be protected.”
Consequently, Aliyu said that a committee had been set up by the NGF to get different views on the PIB in order for the forum to arrive at a position.
On the creation of state police, the governor said the position of the NGF on the issue remained unchanged until such a time superior argument was proffered against it.
“We will not be intimidated. If for any reason a superior argument comes forward, I believe that we will be able to change our position. But at the moment, we do not see why it should happen. We know how the regional police were used to stop other people from enjoying their fundamental rights in those days,” he declared.