Amaechi’s NGF meets tomorrow

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, yesterday, scheduled a meeting of the Forum for tomorrow to discuss among others, post-election disagreements that emanated from the NGF election.

Members of NGF will also discuss issues relating to the forum and its partners as well as the strategic plan for the next two years.

The NGF’s meeting, which is coming barely nine days after Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau held a meeting of his faction in Abuja, also has in its agenda, polio eradication initiative.

Jang’s NGF meeting

Present at Jonah Jang’s meeting held penultimate were Jonah Jang of Plateau; Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo; Sullivan Chime, Enugu; Theodore Orji, Abia and Martins Elechi of Ebonyi.

Amaechi and Jang

Others were Idris Wada of Kogi; Peter Obi, Anambra; Ibrahim Shema, Katsina; Emmanuel Uduaghan, Delta; Godswill Akpabio, Akwa Ibom; Isa Yuguda, Bauchi; Seriake Dickson, Bayelsa and Liyel Imoke of Cross River.

Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State was represented by his deputy, Steve Lawani, while Taraba State’s acting governor, Umar Garba was also in attendance.

The Amaechi-led NGF is having its first meeting since the election held on May 24.

According to a statement by NGF’s Director-General, Asishana Okauru, the meeting is the seventh NGF meeting in its series, just as he also confirmed that governors Jang, Akpabio, Suswam, Dickson and other 31 state governors were invited for the meeting.

Governors that may attend tomorrow’s meeting include Amaechi, Aliyu of Niger State, Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi State, Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto and Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe.

Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and Babatunde Fashola of Lagos are also expected to attend.

Others are Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo; Abdulazeez Yari, Zamfara; Rochas Okorocha, Imo and Kassim Shetimma of Borno.

The NGF, which was established to among others, provide a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas, help strengthen and promote Nigeria’s federal system and promote understanding among governors and states, is the umbrella body of all the 36 states’ governors of the federation.

Gov Yari is new VC

At the end of the meeting, which lasted more than four hours, Okauru disclosed that Governor Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari of Zamfara State was unanimously voted in as the Vice Chairman, following the withdrawal of Governor Olusegun Mimiko from the race.

All the governors, except that of Yobe State, Ibrahim Gaidam, were present and the election was through secret ballot.

It will be recalled that Governor Amaechi has been having a running battle with the Presidency and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which culminated in a formation of a PDP Governors’ Forum 14 years into the existence of the party, with Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom as the Chairman.