...Governors backing Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers may boycott the meeting
For the second time since it broke away, a faction of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, led by the Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, is expected to meet on Sunday night in Abuja.
Mr. Jang had on Friday sent out letters of invitation to the other 35 state governors inviting them to the meeting.
The faction had met in June at its secretariat in Maitama District of Abuja after which it met President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa to brief him on the outcome of the meeting.
However, on Saturday, the Chairman of NGF and Governor of Rivers State, Chubuike Amaechi, kicked against the planned meeting, saying Mr. Jang had no right to convene meetings of the group. He described the Plateau State Governor as an impostor.
The Rivers State governor therefore asked his colleagues who had received the invitation to Sunday’s meeting to shun it.
“Jang is an impostor. NGF members should steer clear of him,” Mr. Amaechi said.
The Rivers State governor had been re-elected the Chairman of NGF during its election in May by defeating Mr. Jang, his only challenger, by 19 votes to 16.
Mr. Jang’s decision to summon Sunday’s meeting indicates that the two groups are yet to resolve their differences.
Both Messrs Amaechi and Jang belong to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, but have governors from the opposition parties as their deputies.
While Abdulaziz Yari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governor of Zamfafa State is Mr. Amaechi’s deputy, Olusegun Mimiko, the Labour Party, LP, Governor of Ondo State is Mr. Jang’s deputy.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Ibim Semenitari, said her principal remained the authentic chairman of the governors’ group.
“I am not a member of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. But I am aware that Governor Rotimi Amaechi is the chairman of the NGF. Having scored 19 votes against Governor Jang’s 16 votes during the election, his (Amaechi) position as the chairman of the forum is not in doubt. I believe he (Amaechi) is the only one that can call for a meeting,” she said.
It is likely that the governors who voted for Mr. Amaechi will shun Mr Jang’s invitation. They include Musa Kwamkwaso (Kano), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo) and Babatunde Fashola (Lagos).
Others that may boycott the meeting are Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Rauf Aregebsola (Osun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Rochas okorocha (Imo), Kashim Shetima (Borno) and Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi).
Those that may be present at the meeting include Idris Wada (kogi), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Garba Umar (Taraba), Theodore Orji (Abia), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Peter obi (Anambra), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Murtktar Yero (Kaduna), and Ibrahim Shema (Katsina). They are all of the Jang faction.
Some of the governors in the Jang faction may not, however, attend the meeting as they are reportedly in Saudi Arabia where they went to perform the lesser hajj.
Cletus Akwaya, media aide to the Benue State Governor, said on Sunday that his principal would attend the meeting, insisting that “Jang is the authentic chairman of the Governors Forum.”
Mr Akwaya added, “If Jang called (a) meeting, my governor will attend unless he is indisposed.”
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| Jang and Amaechi |
For the second time since it broke away, a faction of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, led by the Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, is expected to meet on Sunday night in Abuja.
Mr. Jang had on Friday sent out letters of invitation to the other 35 state governors inviting them to the meeting.
The faction had met in June at its secretariat in Maitama District of Abuja after which it met President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa to brief him on the outcome of the meeting.
However, on Saturday, the Chairman of NGF and Governor of Rivers State, Chubuike Amaechi, kicked against the planned meeting, saying Mr. Jang had no right to convene meetings of the group. He described the Plateau State Governor as an impostor.
The Rivers State governor therefore asked his colleagues who had received the invitation to Sunday’s meeting to shun it.
“Jang is an impostor. NGF members should steer clear of him,” Mr. Amaechi said.
The Rivers State governor had been re-elected the Chairman of NGF during its election in May by defeating Mr. Jang, his only challenger, by 19 votes to 16.
Mr. Jang’s decision to summon Sunday’s meeting indicates that the two groups are yet to resolve their differences.
Both Messrs Amaechi and Jang belong to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, but have governors from the opposition parties as their deputies.
While Abdulaziz Yari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governor of Zamfafa State is Mr. Amaechi’s deputy, Olusegun Mimiko, the Labour Party, LP, Governor of Ondo State is Mr. Jang’s deputy.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Ibim Semenitari, said her principal remained the authentic chairman of the governors’ group.
“I am not a member of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. But I am aware that Governor Rotimi Amaechi is the chairman of the NGF. Having scored 19 votes against Governor Jang’s 16 votes during the election, his (Amaechi) position as the chairman of the forum is not in doubt. I believe he (Amaechi) is the only one that can call for a meeting,” she said.
It is likely that the governors who voted for Mr. Amaechi will shun Mr Jang’s invitation. They include Musa Kwamkwaso (Kano), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo) and Babatunde Fashola (Lagos).
Others that may boycott the meeting are Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Rauf Aregebsola (Osun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Rochas okorocha (Imo), Kashim Shetima (Borno) and Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi).
Those that may be present at the meeting include Idris Wada (kogi), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Garba Umar (Taraba), Theodore Orji (Abia), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Peter obi (Anambra), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Murtktar Yero (Kaduna), and Ibrahim Shema (Katsina). They are all of the Jang faction.
Some of the governors in the Jang faction may not, however, attend the meeting as they are reportedly in Saudi Arabia where they went to perform the lesser hajj.
Cletus Akwaya, media aide to the Benue State Governor, said on Sunday that his principal would attend the meeting, insisting that “Jang is the authentic chairman of the Governors Forum.”
Mr Akwaya added, “If Jang called (a) meeting, my governor will attend unless he is indisposed.”
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