Ahead of the election of a new chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the Southwest Governors’ Forum has endorsed Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi for the office.
Also, Bayelsa State governor and Chairman of the Southsouth Governors’ Forum, Henry Seriake Dickson, yesterday insisted that the slot should go to the South.
Dickson said the next NGF chairman should come from the South, at the end of the tenure of current occupier of the seat and Zamfara State Governor Abdulazeez Yari.
As at 5 p.m last night, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum was meeting to choose between Fayemi and Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The election of the NGF held at 8 p.m.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that different groups within the NGF had been holding consultations in the last 12 hours on Yari’s successor.
A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “By 8 p.m (last night), the NGF will meet to pick between Fayemi and El-Rufai. All the caucuses in NGF have been meeting, including the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors who are trying to present a candidate.
“So far, the Southwest Governors’ Forum has thrown its weight behind Fayemi. Some PDP governors have also come out openly to back the Ekiti State governor.”
One of the PDP governors is Dickson of Bayelsa State, who is also the chairman of the Southsouth Governors’ Forum.
Dickson urged all 36 governors to adhere to the principle of rotation in the election of a new leader for the forum.
In a statement by his Special Adviser (SA) on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, the governor said the decision on who should be the next NGF chairman should be guided by the time-tested principle of rotation between the North and South.
•From left: Governors Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos); Gboyega Oyetola (Osun); Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) during the South Western Governors Forum’s meeting at Asokoro, Abuja…yesterday
He said the PDP governors would not contest the position in consonance with the precedence that the NGF chairman should be a ranking governor from the ruling party.
Dickson said the PDP governors would not make any move to endanger the time-honoured principle guiding the election of the forum’s chairman.
He said: “I am calling on the governors who would assemble today 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 Alhaji Abdulazeez Yari, Governor of Zamfara State, 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.”
Dickson congratulated 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 and other issues affecting state finances.
“I wish him the very best in the Senate, where he has been elected,” he added.
He said the PDP governors would not contest the position in consonance with the precedence that the NGF chairman should be a ranking governor from the ruling party.
Dickson said the PDP governors would not make any move to endanger the time-honoured principle guiding the election of the forum’s chairman.
He said: “I am calling on the governors who would assemble today 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 Alhaji Abdulazeez Yari, Governor of Zamfara State, 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.”
Dickson congratulated 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 and other issues affecting state finances.
“I wish him the very best in the Senate, where he has been elected,” he added.
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