Pro-Jang Governors Stop Him From Reading Communiqué

Gov. Mimiko reading the communique as Jang and others listen

15 governors at the meeting on Sunday

Governors loyal to Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, the chairman of a break-away minority faction of the Nigeria Governors Forum, on Sunday night stopped Mr. Jang from reading the communiqué issued by their group after a meeting in Abuja.

Instead, the governors asked Mr. Jang’s deputy, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, to read the document on their behalf, according to a source within the faction. A helpless Jang looked on as Mr. Mimiko read the communiqué.

It has being learnt that some of the governors within Mr. Jang’s camp had complained that he was hardly audible whenever he spoke to reporters. They also complained that the Plateau governor lacked charisma and good rapport with the media. “A few of the governors on his side expect him to show the carriage of a man leading other governors,” said a source.

The factional meeting was boycotted by a majority of the governors, who back Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State. Twenty-one out of 36 governors did not attend the meeting and did not send their deputies to represent them.

In reading the faction’s communiqué, Governor Mimiko announced that the splinter group had set up a five-man committee to review their constitution. The committee, which is to be chaired by Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State, has Governors Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Theodore Orji (Abia), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Mimiko as members.