The Rotimi Ameachi led faction of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum has expressed its concern over the postponement of the National Economic Council meeting which has not held for five months.

The forum rose from a late night meeting in Abuja, also maintaining their earlier position that governors must be briefed on the alleged non-remittance of 49.8 billion Dollars.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, said that there was a lack of sense of ownership of budget process as the 2014 budget was prepared without any input from the states.

“As co-managers of the Nigerian economy, the forum expresses deep disappointment at yet another postponement of the National Economic Council meeting.

“The forum is concerned that a pattern is emerging where the National Economic Council meeting has been postponed for five consecutive months. It has become disturbing that governors are invited to Abuja for the NEC meeting only to be told of its cancellation, usually on the eve of the meeting after the arrival of the governors without any reason.

“Yet there are issues of urgent and utmost national importance that ought to have been addressed at the National Economic Council meeting.”

The forum, while demanding that the NNPC and the Ministry of Finance formally brief it on the unremitted fund, also called on the President to call for a meeting of the Police Council to discuss “the development in Rivers State, in light of the controversies concerning the deployment of the Police.”