NGF Election Crisis: Amaechi, Jang May Step Down For Consensus Chair

Barring all unforeseen circumstances, Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi and his Plateau State counterpart Jonah Jang may be asked to step down as chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) for a consensus candidate that would reconcile both warring parties.

Although Amaechi was duly elected at the NGF meeting, where he scored 19 while Jang scored 16, Jang’s camp has faulted Amaechi’s emergence on the grounds that it had earlier adopted Jang as the consensus chairman. They claimed that the constitution of the Forum did not give room for a second term.

Amaechi has been suspended by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for alleged anti-party activities. President Goodluck Jonathan, who claimed neutrality on the saga, has also turned round to recognise Jang.

LEADERSHIP checks show that some five governors from the north have begun a search for the way out of the cul-de-sac and the plan is to work out a modality where both Amaechi and Jang would be asked to step down for a consensus chairman from the north “in the interest of peace and unity of the Forum and of the country as well”.

A source close to one of the governors said, “We do not want to involve the press in what we are doing now; it is a shame that those who claim to be elected governors in the country are in this type of a mess, and, to worsen the situation, each camp is making use of the media, laying claim to be the chairman. If I may confide in you, the plan is to call for a meeting of NGF and ask both Amaechi and Jang to step down, and then a neutral person would be asked to be the chairman. Doing so would go a long way in bringing us back and restoring the lost credibility,” an insider told LEADERSHIP.   

The source disclosed further, “Neither of the two camps would be asked to call the meeting when the time comes.” He also disclosed that whoever will be the new chairman “would emerge not through any election, but through consensus; since the existence of the Forum, there had never been a time when the chairman was elected. The one we held has proved us wrong.”

When asked which zone or state the consensus chairman would come from, the source refused to answer the question but said, “We would cross the bridge when we get there.”

But another source close to the Forum who corroborated him said  “the north might be asked to produce the chairman for tactical reasons”.

Another source close to the five governors also disclosed that Governor Raji Fashola of Lagos would be persuaded to withdraw his suit since “as governors, they all have immunity, either to sue or to be sued, and that, aside, this is a voluntary association and asking the court to intervene could put an end to the Forum.”