15 GOVS MEET AS AMAECHI CAMP SHUNS JANG

The crisis rocking the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) was further emphasised yesterday as the camp loyal to Rotimi Amaechi distance itself from the meeting called by Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau state.

Jang faction had on Friday invited the 36 governors for a meeting to discuss issues bordering on constitutional amendment, local government autonomy that was killed in the Senate, oil theft in the Niger Delta, dwindling oil revenue among others.
Yesterday’s meeting, which was held in Maitama, Abuja, would be the third by Jang’s faction since the NGF election where Amaechi polled 19 votes and Jang polled 16 votes.

The meeting before yesterday’s attracted 16 governors, but yesterday meeting was attended by 15 governors.

While the meeting was still going on, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom state, told newsmen that the essence of the meeting was to find a way to bring the two factions together to enable them to continue to work in the interest of Nigerians.

“We believe in bringing all the governors back to the fold so that we will continue to impact positively on Nigerians,” he said.
He also said the meeting would discuss peer review, the forthcoming National Convention of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Anambra election.

Also speaking, the Katsina state governor, Ibrahim Shema, said the meeting would also discuss the on-going constitutional review.
The states represented include Abia, Plateau, Ondo, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Delta, Benue, Katsina, Akwa Ibom, Taraba, Anambra, Gombe, Kaduna, Cross River, and Kogi.

The governors loyal to Jang, which were not present at meeting, are those of Enugu and Bauchi.
Earlier in the day, it was a carnival like galore as thousands of members of the APC all dressed in T-shirts designed for the party, holding brooms as symbol of the APC, danced round the major streets of Ibadan to formally welcome the party to the state.

Source: Blueprint