PDP Governors forum in disarray as 6 govs shun meeting

All is not well in the rank of PDP  governors as it emerged that Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, who is also the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, was among six governors that were not at the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum meeting, which was held in Abuja on Monday night.  However, in the face of

perceived power tussle between Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and the Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio over the latter’s new status as chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, national chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur declared that all is well with the duo.

This is against the backdrop of insinuations that Governor Amaechi, who is the chairman, Governors’ Forum, felt threatened at Akpabio’s new portfolio, seen as a ploy by the presidency to curb Governor Amaechi’s influence.

At Monday's meeting, also absent were governors Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Dr. Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Seidu Dakingari (Kebbi); Aliyu Wamako (Sokoto); Musa Kwakwanso(Kano) and Sulivan Chime).

Eight other governors, who were not at the meeting, sent their deputies unlike the six absentee governors.

Seven governors and an acting governor(Taraba State), were also in attendance.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih, was also at the meeting.

Anenih was accompanied by the Secretary of the Board, Sen. Walid Jibril and a former Governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo.

A former President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani, was also at the meeting, which was held at Akwa Ibom Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.

The refusal of Amaechi to attend the meeting might not be unconnected with the reported plans by the Presidency to remove him as the chairman of the NGF.

The Presidency is believed to be using some governors to remove Amaechi, believing that he was not working with the move to return President Goodluck Jonathan to power in 2015.

Speaking to reporters at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) on Monday, Tukur said there was nothing wrong for his office to create a new forum for the PDP governors, describing the step as part of his reform agenda.