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    The Nigeria Governors Forum met on Wednesday night at the Presidential Villa in a desperate search for solutions to the economic misfortunes besetting their states and the nation even as they insist that federal government bailout funds would not ultimately solve their problems.

The meeting which lasted about two hours at the State House"Ž Banquet Hall, ended with the governors resolving to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari today to tender their propositions on the way out of the woods.

Chairman of the Governors Forum and governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said the situation was getting critical as last month recorded the least federal government revenue in recent times, and workers' salary backlog keeps piling up.

According to him, "we are in a very bad situation and we need to come together and discuss intensively about this economy because it is what is now giving the states headache and by extension the Federal Government.

"If you look carefully at this month's federation account, it is the worst ever in the last six years. So, definitely we had to come to a round table.

"We were elected under different party platforms to perform, not just to pay salaries and it is worse off not to be able to pay salaries.

"So, the issue is very very serious that we are coming back to discuss it and if we have the opportunity we will come back to see our leader, Mr. President."

Asked if the governors would request from the President another round of bailout funds, Yari said "we are not looking at that. Rather, we are looking at permanent solutions to the problems that we are in now".

Speaking on the effect of dwindling oil price and alternatives, the governor said "we are discussing about diversification but you should understand that it is a long-term programme.

"We are looking for a short-term formula for you to live. At least, survive before the long term, so on diversification we are looking at agriculture, which is supposed to be the major focus long time ago but has been neglected by the past administrations.

"Now that we found ourselves in this situation, we are working harder to diversify the economy and to look forward to a more permanent solution in case oil goes out of existence but at the same time we have to look for a short-term solution".

Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, said deliberations at the closed-door meeting went well, noting that "everybody is concerned about the dwindling economy and we must as leaders of this country come together to find solution and I agree with all the positions".

He however disagreed with the position that past administrations were entirely to be blamed for the current situation.

According to him, "that is subjective,every leader at one time or the other must have done their best within the ambit of availability.

"So for me, every former President,every former leader had made their contribution and I commend them. The new people on the saddle of leadership must continue to give their best.

"Before now recession was in America and the West, now we have recession facing us; what we depend on as source of our revenue is dwindling. It is not the making of any man. It is another trend in our history that we have to deal with and we are doing just that."

His counterpart from Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, "Žexplained that the meeting was not conclusive becasue "no single meeting that can find a solution to all the world economic issues. You convene and reconvene no human being can know it all at a particular point in time".

He concurred that the global economic downturn was having an effect on Nigeria but explained that "once you are bringing out certain policies, you also need to align those policies with the social cultural environment that you are operating in.

"What may work in this part of the world may not work in other parts even though it is a good policy. So, to realign and readjust and connect these things together and bring out something that can work is not something a two hour meeting can achieve", he added.