APC governors shun party governors forum in Katsina

Governors elected under the All Progressives Congress have shunned a planned meeting of the Progressive Governors Forum in Katsina, forcing the organisers to cancel the event.

APC Governors

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the meeting scheduled to hold between September 14 and 16, was to set legislative agenda for the implementation of the APC manifesto.

Also absent was the Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives, Speakers of APC state assemblies and key officers of the party.

The Chairman, Local Organising Committee, Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa, told newsmen that the parley had to be postponed due to poor attendance.

According to him, most of the expected dignitaries have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj.

Inuwa, who is the Secretary to Katsina State Government, said although the state was fully prepared to host the event, “the postponement was necessary in view of low turnout of participants.”

The Director General of Progressive Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman said that a new date would be announced for the inaugural parley later.

Lukman said that the parley would assist APC governors to adhere to the party’s vision and mission and translate it into good governance.

APC governors shun party governors forum in Katsina

NGF: APC governors move to block Fayose"s nomination as deputy chairman

Governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress are perfecting strategies to oppose the nomination of Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, as the Deputy Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

Fayose

It was learnt that members of the NGF who are scheduled to meet on Wednesday, ahead of the National Economic Forum meeting on Thursday, are likely to select a deputy chairman.

Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, was unanimously chosen as the chairman following the expiration of the tenure of ex-Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi.

A reliable source in the Progressives Governors’ Forum confided in our correspondent that the governors in the PGF received a hint that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party is pushing for Fayose’s candidacy “to spite” the APC.

The source said, “You know the level of antagonism suffered by our party and President (Muhammadu) Buhari before, during and after the elections in the hands of governor Fayose.

“Having him as deputy chairman of the NGF is like rewarding him for his indiscretions; PGF governors are poised to block his emergence.”

Those opposed to Fayose argue that his kind of politics is divisive and should not be allowed to take the centre stage.

They recalled his stiff opposition to Buhari especially during the presidential campaigns and immediately after the victory of the APC.

Chairman of the PGF, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, could not be reached for comments. His Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeobi, explained that his boss travelled to the UK and would also move over to the United States as a member of President Muhammadu Buhari’s delegation.

He said, “His Excellency has travelled out of the country. He went to the UK and will also go to the US to join the President’s delegation.”

Reacting to the development, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Alhaji Abdullahi Jalo said, if there was any position meant to be occupied by a PDP governor, the ruling APC has no right to dictate which of the PDP’s governors should occupy it.

Jalo added, “The PDP as a political party has the right to nominate and support any of its governors to occupy any position given to the party.

“The issue of some governors opposing a governor chosen by our governors to represent them does not even arise. It is entirely our business as a party to choose anyone of our members we feel can best represent our interest anywhere at any time.”

NGF: APC governors move to block Fayose"s nomination as deputy chairman

Mimiko to lead PDP Govs’ Forum

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum are expected to meet in Abuja next week.

It will be their first meeting since the end of the elections and members are expected to confirm Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State as the new Chairman of the Forum.

Speaking with our correspondent in Abuja on Friday, the Coordinator of the Forum, Mr. Osaro Onaiwu, said there had been informal meetings where about nine of the governors zeroed in on Mimiko as the new chairman of the Forum.

According to Onaiwu, an earlier meeting scheduled for this week was shelved as the governors were said to be engaged in the negotiations and horse-trading with regards to the elections of the new leadership of the National Assembly.

Asked if other governors were not interested in leading the Forum, the PDP Governors’ Forum coordinator said the coming meeting will determine if there was such interest.

He said, “Am aware that about nine of them have already thrown their support behind Mimiko to lead the forum, because they said they want very steady and organised hands now that the PDP is in opposition.”

Former Governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, was the first and the only chairman of the Forum.

The Forum was hurriedly formed during the crisis that rocked the Nigeria Governors Forum, when a former Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, was elected the chairman.

Following the emergence of Amaechi as the NGF chairman, aggrieved members of the Forum later formed their own faction of the Forum and elected a former Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Jonah Jang, as their chairman.

Mimiko to lead PDP Govs’ Forum