{"id":4198,"date":"2013-05-25T11:26:46","date_gmt":"2013-05-25T11:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigerian-newspapers\/ngf-chair-election-dg-declares-amaechi-winner-with-19-votes\/"},"modified":"2013-05-25T11:26:46","modified_gmt":"2013-05-25T11:26:46","slug":"ngf-chair-election-dg-declares-amaechi-winner-with-19-votes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/ngf-chair-election-dg-declares-amaechi-winner-with-19-votes\/","title":{"rendered":"NGF Chair election: DG declares Amaechi winner with 19 votes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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From TAIWO AMODU, Abuja<\/p>\n

Confusion reigned yesterday as Rivers State Governor, Hon Rotimi Amaechi, won a fresh mandate to lead the Nigeria Governor\u2019 Forum (NGF). But in a dramatic twist, another set of governors, led by Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Godswill Apkabio, affirmed Plateau State Governor, Chief Jonah Jang, as their new chairman. In the election conducted yesterday evening, Amaechi had scored 19 votes to Jang\u2019s 15.<\/p>\n

Two states, whose governors were absent from the meeting, did not vote. Consequently, the Director General of the NGF, Ashishana Okauru, declared Amaechi the winner. A few minutes after the result was declared, Governor Akpabio and eight other governors addressed the press rejecting the outcome of the election. He was flanked by Governors Peter Obi (Anambra), Segun Mimiko (Ondo), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Jonah Jang (Plateau), Sullivan Chime (Enugu) and Martins Elechi (Ebonyi). Governor Akpabio told newsmen that it was wrong for Governor Amaechi to have presided as sitting chairman in an election in which he was an aspirant. Earlier before the election, Governor Jang has emerged as the consensus candidate of the PDP Governors Forum for the exalted office, after a rigorous session of the northern states governors meeting, which lasted for three hours.<\/p>\n

At the meeting, presided over by Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, the duo of Barrister Ibrahim Shema and Mallam Isa Yuguda, governors of Katsina and Bauchi states respectively, were advised to step down for one another. After initial resistance the two governors later surfaced at the Akwa Ibom State Governor\u2019s Lodge, venue of the PDP Governors Forum meeting, in the company of Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum, Governor Aliyu. At the meeting of the 23 member PDP governors, Governor Aliyu presented a letter signed by both Shema and Yuguda announcing their resignation from the race, to pave way for Jang emergence as consensus.<\/p>\n

Saturday Sun checks revealed that the Plateau State governor did not pick nomination form for the race. His late entrance to the race almost stalemated the election, as governors loyal to Governor Amaechi insisted that his nomination did not follow due process, before reason prevailed. The notice for yesterday\u2019s meeting signed by the Director-General of the Forum had indicated: \u201cNotice of intent to run for these positions should kindly reach the Secretariat before May 24, 2013.\u201d However, Jang only indicated interest in the race yesterday, after Yuguda and Shema withdrew from the race.<\/p>\n

The letter signed by the Bauchi governor and his Katsina counterpart reads: \u201cI, Mallam Isa Yuguda, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State and Barrister Shehu Shema of Katsina State, do hereby withdraw from contest for the post of Nigeria Governors Forum chairmanship and we have voluntarily stepped down to support Governor Jonah David Jang of Plateau State as chairman of NGF, in honour to the Forum and the nation.\u201d Saturday Sun gathered that it was after Governor Aliyu presented the letter to Governor Akpabio that the PDP governors adjourned their meeting for the larger Forum meeting at Rivers Governor\u2019s Lodge. Governor Amaechi however, boycotted the PDP Governors\u2019 Forum meeting.<\/p>\n

In his post victory remarks, Governor Amaechi promised to mend fences with his aggrieved colleagues and the Presidency, as he noted that there \u201cis no victor, no vanquished. We shall continue to work as a team.\u201d Meanwhile, last night, a resolution signed by 19 governors affirming Jang as new NGF chairman was released. The resolution stated: \u201cWe the undersigned governors of the Nigerian Governors\u2019 Forum, having taken cognizance of the state of the nation and the perception of the Nigerian people do herby resolve as follows: That we thank the outgoing chairman, His Excellency, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, governor of Rivers State for his leadership and achievement;<\/p>\n

That we strongly agree for a change of leadership of the forum from May 2013 to May 2015; That we hereby, therefore elect His Excellency Jonah Jang of Plateau State as the new chairman of the forum.\u201d Those who signed the resolution are: Governor Akpabio (Akwa Ibom): Gabriel Suswan (Benue); Peter Obi (Anambra); Idris Wada (Kogi); Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); Jonah Jang (Plateau); Mukhtar Yero (Kaduna); Sullivan Chime (Enugu); Martin Elechi (Ebonyi); Isa Yuguda (Bauchi); Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa); Ibrahim Dankwabo (Gombe); Theodore Orji (Abia); Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe); Liyel Imoke (Cross River) and Abdulfatah Ahmaed (Kwara).<\/p>\n

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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: The Sun Newspaper<\/p>\n

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