A chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Kwara State, Mr Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN), has blamed the Presidency for interfering in the affairs of the Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF).

Belgore addressed reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, at the sideline of a dinner organised for the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Prof Ishaq Oloyede.

The 2011 governorship candidate of the ACN said: "It is the interference and meddlesomeness of the Presidency that has led to this crisis. I think the Presidency, and nobody else, should be blamed for what has happened.

"The factionalisation of the NGF is disgraceful. It is needless. The NGF is a body that could conduct its affairs. It is the governors' forum, not a forum for the governors of the President. So, the forum should have been left alone without interference to determine who its chairman should be."

The senior lawyer hailed the action of Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) for seeking a legal solution to the imbroglio.

He said: "That is what the courts are for. I commend anybody who takes its cause to the court. The problem is that people take the law into their hands. Some people abuse their positions.

"But when someone has a grievance and takes it to the court, he submits it to the lawful authority and sets an example for orderliness in the society. So, I commend Governor Fashola's action."

On this year's local government election in the state, Belgore said: "We have not been given a date for the election, but as a political party, we always prepare. Our preparation will not take long time because we have always had the people on our side. So, we do not need any prolonged period of time. What we need is a level-playing field.."