By Hugo Odiogor

A former Clerk of Delta State House of Assembly, Sir Dan Okenyi, has described the ongoing impasse in the election of the Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum as a needless distraction at this point in view of the socio-economic and security challenges facing the country.

Okenyi, who was the Clerk of Delta State House of Assembly from 1997 to 2004, and Political Adviser to the House from 2004 to 2011, said the crisis between the NGF and the foot soldiers of the Presidency, demonstrates politics of intolerance and parochial agenda of political leaders whose agenda is to promote selfish interests at the expense of national development.

Okenyi, who was peeved that the media were devoting more than their fair attention to the activities NGF because what happened in Abuja has raised questions about how the governors have been organising local government elections in their various states.

He said: “If they cannot conduct a credible election in a group of 36 members, that tells much of  their inability to handle local government elections in their states.  How can they talk of rigging in an election that only 35 members participated? This is shameful.”