Akpabio surrenders, as governors uphold Amaechi’s election as NGF chairman – Punch newspaper

By John Alechenu

The crisis rocking the Nigeria Governors Forum was on Monday night resolved following the adoption of Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as the Chairman of the forum.

Amaechi had won the last NGF election with 19 votes to defeat his main challenger, Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang, who had 16 votes.

The forum was thrown into crisis when the 16 mainly Peoples Democratic Party governors rejected the outcome of the election and went on to form a faction of the NGF.

It was learnt that  Monday’s meeting, which was brokered by some of the outgoing governors, succeeded in getting the two sides together to arrive at a truce.

Signs that the meeting would succeed showed up early, as Jang, the factional chairman, was said to have sent an apology over his inability to attend the meeting, fueling speculations that he would not object to decisions reached at the meeting.

It was gathered that a yet to be named governor moved that the forum should agree that Amaechi won the 2013 election and this move was unanimously adopted before the meeting proper proceeded.

At this point, the governor of Bauchi State, Mallam Isa Yuguda, excused himself from the meeting and left.

The NGF became polarised after 16 mainly Peoples Democratic Party governors, under Jang’s leadership, rejected the outcome of the NGF election which Amaechi won with 19 votes.

While President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP supported Jang, Amaechi enjoyed the support of opposition state governors as well as the court of public opinion.

Members of the two factions met formally for the first time in Abuja on Monday after the crisis which splitted the forum into two.

The chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Babangida Aliyu, gave a hint about what was likely to transpire during the meeting.

Aliyu, who spoke after a meeting of northern governors, a few hours before the commencement of the Nigeria Governors Forum meeting, said, northern governors are determined to broker a truce between the feuding factions in order to unite them for Nigeria’s progress.

Amaechi, who is the leader of the NGF faction with 19 governors, attended  the event in company with Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomole, the Zamfara State governor, Abdulaziz Yari and the governor of Osun State, Ra’uf Aregbesola.

Other members of his faction in attendance were: Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajumobi,  the Deputy governor of Kano State, now governor elect, Umar Ganduje, while the governor of Nasarawa State, Umaru Al-Makura was represented by his deputy.

Although the governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, who is the leader of the 16 mostly PDP governors sent an apology for his absence, though prominent members of his faction were in attendance.

Leading the pack was the Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, who is also the chairman of the PDP governors’ forum.

Other members of the Jang faction who attended the peace meeting include: Bauchi State governor, Isa Yuguda, his Delta State counterpart, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan,  the Niger State governor, Babangida Aliyu, the governor of Kaduna State, Ramalan Yero, Kebbi State governor, Usman Dakingari, Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam and the deputy governor of Kogi State.

Those who were absent from the meeting include: the governors of Ogun, Ondo, Taraba, Plateau, Adamawa, Lagos, Gombe, Yobe, Bayelsa, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Katsina, Cross, River, Imo, and Sokoto.

Culled from Punch newspaper