Governors to elect chair Friday

The Nigeria Governors Forum(NGF) will on Friday elect a new chairman.

The contest will be between the incumbent Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and either Governor Ibrahim Shema (Katsina) or Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State.

The Presidency is to back either Shema or Yuguda.

Pro and anti-Amaechi supporters are lobbying the Northern Governors Forum for support.

As part of steps to form a united front for the poll, a meeting of the Northern Governors Forum will hold tomorrow in Abuja.

A notice has been sent to all the 36 governors on the election, which will hold between Friday night and Saturday morning.

A source said: “Although the tenure of Amaechi will end on May 29, 2013, the election has been slated for Friday.

“All the parties have intensified lobbying of NGF members, especially those in the Northern Governors Forum with 19 votes.”

The Director-General of the NGF, Mr. Asisana Okauru, said: “The governors are meeting on Friday and election is part of the agenda.The election is for Forum members.”

As at press time, investigation confirmed that the two sides had intensified their lobbying.

“In fact on Monday, the anti-Amaechi forces led by the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Chief Godswill Akpabio and Governor Gabriel Suswam met with the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu on why Amaechi should be eased out of office.

“Soon after they left, those for Amaechi also had an audience with Aliyu . There is no doubt a serious jostle for Northern votes. This is the case because Southern governors have been highly polarised.”

It was learnt that the Northern governors will meet on Thursday in Abuja to take a position on who to back.

Another source said: “ The Northern governors will meet to weigh options and X-ray the candidates.”

But a former Chairman eof the NGF, Senator Bukola Saraki has intervened to ensure that the poll does not divide the Forum which he put on solid footing.

The notice of Friday’s meeting and its agenda was made available last night by the secretariat of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF).

Director General of the NGF, Asisama Okauru, announced the notice of the sixth meeting of the NGF in 2013 saying:

“The chairman Rt. Hon, Rotimi C. Amaechi has requested for a meeting of all members as follows: Date: Friday24th May 2013.

“Time: 400pm prompt, Venue: Rivers State Governors Lodge, Abuja. Address No. 5 Justice Mohammed Bello Street,

“Agenda: 1, Election of forum officials: Chairman, Vice Chairman, Vacant Seats on the Board of Trustees NC1, NE1, NW2, SW 1, SE1

“For members of the executive committee representing geopolitical zones (the chairman and vice chairman automatically represent their zones)

“2. AOB

“Notice of intent to run for these positions should kindly reach the secretariat before May 24, 2013. Thank you.”