Dickson demands principle of rotation as governors elect new chairman

Bayelsa Governor, Seriake Dickson


Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has called for adherence to the principle of rotation between the North and the South in the election of Chairman for the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF).

Mr Dickson made the call in a statement issued by his Special Adviser, Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said the decision on who should be the next Chairman of the Forum should be guided by the time tested principle of rotation between the North and South.

The governor said the next Chairman of the NGF should come from the South with the end of the tenure of Governor Abdulazeez Yari of Zamfara State.

He said the governors elected under the platform of the PDP would not contest the position in consonance with the precedence that the NGF Chairman should be a ranking Governor from the ruling political party.

Mr Dickson, the Chairman of the South South Governors Forum, noted that the PDP governors would not make any move to endanger the time honoured principle guiding the emergence of the NGF Chairman.

He, however, said the next NGF Chairman should emerge preferably through consensus among the members of the NGF.

“I am calling on the governors who would assemble on Wednesday to take a decision on the Chairmanship of the Governor’s Forum to be guided by the time tested principle of rotation between the North and the South.

“Now that the Yari, Governor of Zamfara would be ending his tenure, we expect that the next chairman should come from the South.

“The precedence is that the ruling party produces the Chairman.

“The PDP Governors have no desire to be disruptive and expect that a ranking Governor from the APC, the party with the majority would be the next chairman,” he said.

Mr Dickson congratulated Mr Yari on the successful completion of his tenure during which he collaborated with the federal government to address a myriad of issues such as the refund of the Paris club money, among other issues affecting state finances.

The governor wished him a successful tenure in the National Assembly where he has been elected senator.

(NAN)