Governor Godswill Akpabio
Today is Decision Day for the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) as governors of the 36 states of the federation will meet in Abuja to resolve a leadership crisis that has split the state helmsmen into factions.
Top on the agenda is whether or not to re-elect Rivers State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, as the NGF chairman.
But as the 36 governors meet to determine Amaechi’s fate today, President Goodluck Jonathan last night held a closed-door four-hour meeting with the governors of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State House, Abuja, during which Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State emerged as the chairman of a newly formed PDP Governors’ Forum.
Although no clarification was made on what the parallel forum of the governors from one party intends to achieve, political pundits saw the emergence of the splinter group as a counterweight to neutralise the influence of the larger NGF and/or any other similar associations that may be formed by the opposition governors.
One pundit added last night that the real purpose of the PDP Governors’ Forum is to work towards Jonathan’s 2015 re-election bid.
Divisions emerged in the ranks of the NGF last Wednesday when an attempt, championed by three governors described as Jonathan’s loyalists, was made to unseat Amaechi.
The plot, however, failed as other governors rallied support for their Rivers State colleague.
THISDAY learnt Sunday that as the plot to unseat Amaechi thickens, at least 13 northern governors have come together to ensure that he is re-elected today.
Many of their counterparts from the South are also said to be in favour of continuity in order to ensure that the agenda of those with “divisive tendencies” do not prevail.
Some of the governors have also decried the intervention of outside interests in what they described as the “mere election of their chairman.”
One of the governors told THISDAY Sunday that contrary to the belief of associates of the president and some presidency officials, the governors’ forum was not fighting Jonathan.
The re-election bid, which has sharply divided the governors, is also seen as a litmus test for the perceived second term ambition of Jonathan.
It was gathered that the governors supporting Amaechi’s re-election include: Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto, Usman Dakingari of Kebbi, Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Musa Kwankwanso of Kano and Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State. All of them are from the North-west.
However, their colleagues from Katsina State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema and Kaduna State, Alhaji Ramalan Yero, are said to be against Amaechi’s re-election.
Yero’s position is understandable due to the influence of Vice-President Namadi Sambo, who was instrumental to his rise in politics.
From the North-east, the governors of Borno (Kashim Shettima), Yobe (Ibrahim Geidam), Adamawa (Murtala Nyako) and Gombe (Ibrahim Dankwambo) are also in support of Amaechi.
The acting governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar, is said to be neutral, while Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi is opposed to Amaechi’s re-election.
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