Governors Amaechi & Jang Clash Again; As Jang Set To Meet Obasanjo
The crisis within the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, appears not to be
over despite recent moves by the governors to find a way out.
Jang, in a letter sent to governors on Friday, had invited them for a meeting holding in Abuja on Sunday.
The Rivers governor, in a message to Punch on Saturday, said it was wrong for Jang to continue calling for meetings when it was apparent that he did not win the forum’s chairmanship election. He described Jang as an impostor and asked the governors not to honour his invitation.
Amaechi said, “Jang is an impostor. NGF members should steer clear of him.”
Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, in a telephone interview told Punch that only Amaechi had the power to call for NGF meetings. Semenitari said Amaechi remained the duly elected NGF chairman and the situation had not changed.
In response to Jang’s invitation, some northern governors, who had supported Amaechi during the election, vowed not to attend the meeting.
“I am not a member of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. But I am aware that Governor Rotimi Amaechi is the chairman of the NGF. Having scored 19 votes against Governor Jang’s 16 votes during the election, his (Amaechi) position as the chairman of the forum is not in doubt. I believe he (Amaechi) is the only one that can call for a meeting.”On Saturday, the Chairman of the forum, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, asked his colleagues to shun a meeting called by a factional chairman of the forum, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State. Amaechi also described Jang in unflattering terms.
Jang, in a letter sent to governors on Friday, had invited them for a meeting holding in Abuja on Sunday.
The Rivers governor, in a message to Punch on Saturday, said it was wrong for Jang to continue calling for meetings when it was apparent that he did not win the forum’s chairmanship election. He described Jang as an impostor and asked the governors not to honour his invitation.
Amaechi said, “Jang is an impostor. NGF members should steer clear of him.”
Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, in a telephone interview told Punch that only Amaechi had the power to call for NGF meetings. Semenitari said Amaechi remained the duly elected NGF chairman and the situation had not changed.
In response to Jang’s invitation, some northern governors, who had supported Amaechi during the election, vowed not to attend the meeting.
The Governor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Wamakko, said he would not attend
the meeting because Jang was not validly elected. Wamakko, who spoke
through his Special Adviser on Media, Sani Umar, also faulted Jang’s
call for the meeting, saying, “How can we attend such a meeting? We are not part of him. We won’t be there because he was not validly elected.”
Also, the Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, said he would not attend the meeting because Jang was not qualified to convene such a meeting.
Amaechi won the forum’s May 24, 2013 chairmanship election with 19 votes as against Jang’s 16, but the Plateau governor, through the backing of the Presidency, is insisting he is the Chairman of NGF.
Also, sources say the Jang group are making moves to meet with former President Olusegun Obasanjo to get his blessings, and plead with him to support President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
Also, the Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, said he would not attend the meeting because Jang was not qualified to convene such a meeting.
Amaechi won the forum’s May 24, 2013 chairmanship election with 19 votes as against Jang’s 16, but the Plateau governor, through the backing of the Presidency, is insisting he is the Chairman of NGF.
Also, sources say the Jang group are making moves to meet with former President Olusegun Obasanjo to get his blessings, and plead with him to support President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
