20 govs shun Jang’s NGF

A faction of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), under the leadership of Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang yesterday met in Abuja, despite the protests from the camp of Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
Amaechi, who is the Rivers State governor, had on Sunday cautioned Governor Jang against calling the meeting of the NGF as the former claimed that he was the duly elected chairman of the Forum of 36 states governors in the country.

But at the meeting, which took place at a parallel secretariat located in Maitama area of Abuja, the Jang faction had only 16 governors in attendance. The same number of governors attended the commissioning of the secretariat last month.
In attendance at the meeting were Jonah Jang, Olusegun Mimiko, Sullivan Chime, Theodore Orji, Martins Elechi and Idris Wada, governors of Plateau, Ondo, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi States. Others were; Peter Obi, Ibrahim Shema, Emmanuel Uduaghan, Godswill Akpabio, Isa Yuguda, Seriake Dickson and Liyel Imoke, governors of Anambra, Katsina, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa and Cross Rivers states.
Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam was represented by his deputy, Steve Lawani, while Taraba State acting governor, Umar Garba was also in attendance. Daily Sun checks revealed that invitation was sent to all the 36 states governors for a crucial meeting to resolve grey areas of about N60 billion from the Federation Account owed the governors by the Federal Government.
State Commissioners for Finance had last Thursday boycotted the Federal Allocation Account Committee (FAAC) meeting to protest the unpaid arrears.

Further investigation by Daily Sun revealed that some of the governors loyal to Governor Amaechi faction of the NGF arrived Abuja last night but shunned the NGF meeting called by Jang.
A media aide to one of the governors in Amaechi’s camp told Daily Sun that his boss and those loyal to him (Amaechi) were in Abuja last night but would only show up at the Presidential Villa for the meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at an enlarged meeting of all governors to discuss the impasse arising from the aborted FAAC meeting.

But speaking with newsmen at the end of the meeting, which was concluded at 9.30pm, Governor Jang told newsmen that the poor attendance was a non-issue, as he needed only 12 governors to form a quorum. “Some of the governors have traveled out of the country.

You cannot stop governors, because of NGF meeting. I need only 12 to form quorum.” Asked to react to allegation of impersonation by Governor Amaechi, the Plateau State helmsman told newsmen curtly: “What is the meaning of impersonation?
Am I saying that I am the Governor of Rivers State?” The governors later left for Presidential Villa for a meeting with President Jonathan.

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