LAGOS — Governors Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Jonah Jang of
Plateau State were, yesterday, locked in a war of words over their
claims to the chairmanship of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF.
Amaechi, told his Plateau State colleague to stop impersonating him
as chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, and urged him to keep
within the bounds of decorum.
Amaechi and Jang
Jang in a riposte dismissed Amaechi’s charge as funny. Jang
reiterated his claim that his endorsement by 19 Northern governors was
tantamount to an election, boasting that he was set to show his superior
claim at a meeting of the forum he has summoned for today.
The exchange followed Governor Jang’s summon of a meeting of the NGF
for today ahead of a scheduled meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan
over disputes on the sharing of the federation account for the month of
May.
Governor Amaechi while urging governors to honour the meeting with
the president, however, disowned the meeting of the NGF summoned by
Jang.
Governors stick to their earlier positions
Yesterday, several governors stood on their previous positions in the
NGF. Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, NSGF, Governor
Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, it was learnt, was outside the country
and may not send a representative to the Jang meeting. His colleague in
Benue State, Mr. Gabriel Suswam who is also outside the country on
official assignment, could send a representative to attend the Jang
meeting.
“Any meeting called by Governor Jang as chairman of the NGF would be
honoured by Governor Suswam,” an aide said. Several other governors, it
was learnt, yesterday, stuck to their known positions on the division in
the NGF.
Governor Amaechi in a statement yesterday said: “On Saturday, June 15
and Sunday, June 16, reports in the media credited to my brother
governor, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State announced that he has
called for a Nigeria Governors’ Forum meeting. Ordinarily I would have
ignored these reports as I do not imagine that as governors who hold our
people’s mandate through the democratic process of free and fair
elections, we would do anything to impugn our integrity.
“However as Chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum, elected by my
colleagues to safeguard their integrity and that of the forum, it has
become imperative for me to request my brother, Governor Jang, to remain
within the confines of decorum and cease to impersonate me and to stop
parading himself as NGF chairman. There is only one chairman of the
forum, duly elected by a vote tally of 19:16 on Friday, May 24, 2013.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I as chairman of the NGF have not called
for any Governors’ Forum meeting for Monday, June 17, 2013. The only
meeting scheduled for Monday June 17, is a meeting of all Governors with
His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan scheduled to hold at 9pm at
Aso Rock Villa. All governors should please ensure attendance at this
meeting with Mr. President.
This storm shall pass — Amaechi
“I wish to reassure my brother governors that this storm shall pass
and we all will be reunited as one family committed to our nation’s
unity and supporting Mr. President in his vision for a Nigeria that
safeguards the rights of all its citizens to good governance and
democratic norms.
“Governor Jang is my brother and friend and I harbour no ill feelings
against him, but it is important that he stops this impersonation, as
it could threaten all the good work we all have done together.
“May I remind Governor Jang that there is a legal action that has
been instituted against him by Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State
to stop him from parading himself as the chairman of NGF. As leaders
elected by our people, Nigerians are closely watching us. We must
comport ourselves according to the dictates and principles of democratic
and lawful practices and norms.”
We’ll see today — Jang
Responding to Amaechi, Jang through his Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity, Mr. Ayuba Pam described Amaechi’s assertion as funny.
Asserting that he was elected by the majority of governors and was in no way impersonating anybody, Jang said:
“It is funny to say that a man who was nominated by consensus by the
Northern governors who are 19 and presented to the larger meeting of the
governors would impersonate anybody. It is all about who is in charge
of the forum and tomorrow’s (today’s) meeting convened by Jang will show
who really has the support of majority of the governors.
“We do not want to join issues with Governor Amaechi because he is
still a member of the governors’ family and just like Governor Jang has
said repeatedly, this is a family problem that would be resolved
amicably.
“All we can do is to appeal to Governor Amaechi to extend the same
cooperation that Jang gave him when he was the chairman of the forum to
Jang. Jang was always among the first governors to be in Abuja each time
he (Amaechi) called a meeting and we urge him to reciprocate this. We
even encourage him to attend tomorrow’s meeting convened by Jang because
the agenda is for the benefit of every state”, he said.
