Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi on
Sunday warned his Plateau State counterpart, Mr. Jonah Jang, against
impersonating him as the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
Amaechi was reacting to media reports on
Saturday that Jang had invited the NGF members to a meeting scheduled
for Monday (today) in Abuja.
Jang, who lost out to the Rivers State
Governor during the May 24 governors election, had in a statement said
that the NGF forum meeting would hold at 6pm.
In the statement in which he addressed
himself as the NGF chairman, Jang stated that after their meeting, the
governors would meet with President Goodluck Jonathan at 9pm in the
Presidential Villa.
He explained that the governors would
meet “in view of the impasse arising from the Federal Allocation
Accounts Committee meeting.”
State commissioners for Finance had on Thursday stormed out of the FAAC meeting in Abuja because of N60bn unpaid arrears.
But on Sunday, Amaechi distanced himself
from the meeting announced by Jang, saying the he (Jang) should not
tarnish the integrity of governors.
The Rivers State governor said, “As the
chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum elected by my colleagues to
safeguard their integrity and that of the forum, it has become
imperative for me to request my brother, Governor Jang, to remain within
the confines of decorum and cease to impersonate me and to stop
parading himself as NGF chairman.
“There is only one chairman of the
forum, duly elected by a vote tally of 19: 16 on Friday, May 24, 2013.
For the avoidance of doubt, I, as chairman of the NGF have not called
for any governors’ forum meeting for Monday, June 17, 2013.
“Governor Jang is my brother and a
friend and I harbour no ill feelings against him; but it is important
that he stops this impersonation, as it could threaten all the good work
we all have done together.”
Amaechi explained that the only meeting he was aware of was that between all the governors and Jonathan today.
“The only meeting scheduled for Monday
June 17, is a meeting of all governors with His Excellency, President
Goodluck Jonathan scheduled to hold at 9pm at Aso Rock Villa.” He
therefore enjoined all the governors to “please ensure attendance at
this meeting with Mr. President.”
He reminded Jang that a legal action
that had been instituted against him (Jang) by the Lagos State Governor,
Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), asking him to stop parading himself as
the chairman of NGF.
“As leaders elected by our people,
Nigerians are closely watching us. We must comport ourselves according
to the dictates and principles of democratic and lawful practices and
norms,” Amaechi added.
He, however, reassured his colleagues
that the leadership “crisis in the NGF would be resolved and the forum
would be reunited as one family committed to the country.”
Amaechi stated that the forum would
continue to support the President’s “vision for a Nigeria that
safeguards the rights of all its citizens to good governance and
democratic norms.”
But in a swift response, Jang insisted that the NGF meeting would hold as scheduled on Monday.
The governor, who spoke through the Sole
Administrator of his NGF faction, Mr. Osaro Onaiwo, added, “The
meeting would hold as scheduled and the agenda is the Federation
Allocation Accounts. After that members would proceed to the
Presidential Villa to have a meeting with President Jonathan.”
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayAdvertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
ymmkm
ReplyDeletem l l lm l
Shame,this is just an election btw 2 governors and yet they still cannot agree among themselves who won.Fighting for a post that is even unconstitutional as if there is more to just the NGF.I'm ashamed for you guys
ReplyDeleteshem to Nigerian governors
ReplyDeletethis is a confirmation of the kind of ppl that we have in power. And it is not surprising cos i don't think we have up to ten among them that were elected. That is why within 35 person they cannot distiguish between who had majority and who had minority vote. Bunch od Agbero
ReplyDeleteshame no dey catch mad man the way e dey catch em ppl. OPPORTUNIED ...........(ANY WORD U PUT IS OK)
ReplyDeleteShame to the main man that is causing confusion in the system. Shame to the man that is fighting, loosing, yet, he doesn't realize he is loosing. Shame to Goodluck Jonathan for being the cause of confusion in the NGF
ReplyDelete