NGF: Governors at war

 

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Almost 48 hours after governors under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum elected a new chairman, the battle over the control of the 36 member body still rages.

On Saturday, the incumbent chairman of the Forum, who is the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi and his challenger, Plateau State governor, Mr. Jonah Jang, both claimed to have won the poll.

The Director-General of the NGF, Mr. Asishana Okauru, had on Friday announced Amaechi as winner of Friday’s election after polling 19 votes to Jang’s 16.

Minutes after the announcement, the Akwa Ibom State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, Godswill Akpapio, addressed the press announcing Jang’s victory.

A new twist was added to the drama on Saturday, when Jang and members of the NGF who pledged allegiance to his leadership held their inaugural meeting in Abuja.

After the meeting, Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, who was introduced as vice-chairman, read a communiqué to the media.

Mimiko while reading the document said the meeting was attended by 18 governors.

He also noted that Jang as the new chairman of the body had “vowed to unite members of the forum, work for the interest of the forum and the country.”

The Ondo State governor, who spoke on behalf of the group, said the forum re-stated its commitment to continue being a platform for peer review and collaborative engagement with all levels of governments.

He said the forum also “resolved to secure a befitting permanent secretariat outside any governors’ lodge.”

All the governors, who spoke at the end of the briefing, insisted that they endorsed Jang for the election.

Those who spoke were: Gabriel Suswam(Benue), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Akpabio, Yisa Yuguda, Shema and Peter Obi (Anambra State).

While speaking on the issue, Akpabio said, “Yesterday, even before the formal meeting of the governors’ forum, it was agreed the chairmanship of the forum be zoned to the PDP which is the party with the largest number of governors in the forum.

“There was a meeting of the PDP Governors’ Forum. The decision of the Northern Governors’ Forum was announced and you need to know that as Nigerians, that chairmanship of the forum should be two years in the South and two years in the North.

“That has been the resolution of the governors. And so it was incumbent upon the northern governors’ forum to meet to bring out the leadership before presenting it to the governors’ forum.

“Yesterday, Governor Aliyu Babangida who is the chairman together with Governor Suswam of Benue came up with Jang as the new chairman and presented him to the PDP governors’ forum and accordingly, the PDP governors’ forum formally adopted Jang.

“The PDP Governors’ Forum would work with Jang as chairman and Mimiko as vice-chairman of the NGF.”

Liyel Imoke, who is the Chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum also said, “The South-South governors participated in the process that led to the emergence of Jang.

“Of course the South-South had always stood behind this administration, we will continue to do that and we will continue to support the new chairman and his vice to succeed.

“We team up with the governor to make sure that there is no bad signal in the governors’ forum and forge ahead to ensure that we have a united country moving forward.”

Suswam, who is the vice-chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum added, “Yesterday (Friday), the meeting of the northern governors unanimously adopted the new leadership led by Jang and the northern governors are strongly behind the new leadership of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum led by Jang and supported by Mimiko, the Iroko.”

Similarly, Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shema, who attended the meeting said, “Until yesterday (Friday) morning, myself and Governor Yuguda of Bauchi and Amaechi of Rivers scheduled to vie for the election.

“But in the interest of peace and prosperity, we honoured the governors’ forum as myself and Yuguda decided to step down to allow the Northern Governors’ Forum to produce a candidate acceptable to all of us.

“And the northern governors on their own decided to adopt a consensus candidate in the person of the Governor of Plateau State who was presented to the PDP Governors’ Forum and was graciously accepted and they applauded the effort of both myself and Yuguda for making sure that the governors’ forum continue to serve the interest of this nation.

“Our position is that we stepped down to honour this nation and this forum so that we can have a united front.”

In the same vein, “Yuguda said, “19 of them endorsed Jang.”

Answering questions on whether they were sure that those who endorsed Jang voted for him during the election, Mimiko said, “Go and ask those who claimed to have conducted election.”

Meanwhile, there was confusion in Rivers State on Saturday as the Peoples Democratic Party in the state recognised Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, as the new chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.

The state PDP, had in a briefing with journalists on Saturday in Port Harcourt, congratulated Jang on his victory during the forum’s election on Friday.

State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Samuel Nwanosike, lauded the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Godswill Akpabio, for his contribution towards ensuring that Jang achieved victory during the exercise.

Likewise, Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Abraham Yiljap, said the election of Jang as the new chairman of the forum will convince all Nigerians about the state of peace pervading in the state.

He said, “Jang will bring into the NGF a sense of purpose and focus as he is the only governor in Nigeria who has occupied that office four times in a lifetime and that sense of purpose can be seen in how he has handled the affairs of the state, especially during those turbulent days.”

Reacting to Mimiko’s position on the NGF election, Amaechi maintained that the election was transparent and he was the winner.

Amaechi, who spoke through the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said it was not possible to rig an election among equals, adding that the exercise went on without any controversy.

On the position of the state PDP, the governor added that the party in Rivers State did not have the locus standi to speak on the conduct or outcome of the election since they were not members of the forum.

He said, “You don’t rig an election among equals. You don’t rig an election and win by three votes. If anybody should complain, it should be Amaechi because his opponent picked the form few hours to the election.

“On the state PDP not recognising Amaechi as the winner of the NGF election; the truth is the state PDP has no locus standi on this matter. It is a matter among equals.

“I believe the governors who own the forum know who their chairman is. The fact is that the people in Port Harcourt and Rivers as a whole are excited over the victory.”

In a related development, Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, has berated governors opposing the re-election of Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.

He said their stance amounts to self embarrassment because Amaechi’s victory complied with the forum’s electoral rules.

Governors in Amaechi’s camp include Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo).

Others are Aliyu Wamako (Sokoto); Rochas Okorocha (Imo); Umaru Al-Makura (Nasarawa); Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Kashim Shettima (Borno); Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe); Abdul-Aziz Yari (Zamfara) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa).

It was not clear as at press time who the Governor of Kebbi State, Usman Dakingari, was supporting.