The crisis within the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) is far from being over as Rotimi Amaechi, governor of Rivers State, has called a meeting of his faction for tomorrow in Abuja to discuss major national issues.
Jonah Jang, governor of Plateau State, leading another faction yesterday claimed that the non-combative nature of his faction led to the immediate release of all outstanding revenues from the federation and excess crude accounts to the states.
Osaro Onaiwu, director-general of Jang’s faction, explained that it was through the mature handling by Jang that a committee was set up to critically examine every point of contention between the governors and the presidency without acrimony and recommended a way to approach the president and tackle the problem of releasing the fund.
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Onaiwu said, “As you can see, from the context of putting records straight, the singular accomplishment of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum under the leadership of Jang is an eloquent reference point to the original aims and objectives of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, which is to foster improved relationship and partnership with the Federal Government, for the common good of members, and by extension the people of Nigeria, and to serve as a platform for peer review and sharing of best practices amongst its members and providing innovative solutions to help the governors solve today’s most pressing challenges in their states.
“Jang is committed to ensuring that the forum is not used as an organ of open defiance and opposition to the policies of the Federal Government, but instead one that will work in synergy with all tiers of government for the common good of our nation”.
Amaechi, who had 19 out of the 36 governors that voted for him last month is currently under suspension by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and tomorrow’s meeting would be the first he would call after the May 24 election.
Jang, who emerged as factional leader to protest the election of Amaechi, had 16 state governors at the meeting he called last week in Abuja.
