NGF Meets amid Controversy over Fayose’s Bid for Deputy Chair
Governor Ayo Fayose
- PDP govs express worry over Boko Haram attacks
By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
Governors of the 36 states in the country converged on Abuja on Wednesday night under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) ahead of today’s National Economic Council meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
However, before the meeting of the NGF which got underway about 10p.m, governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held separate meetings at various locations in the city to strategise on how to engage each other on the critical issues likely to come up during the forum’s meeting.
The PDP governors whose meeting ended about 8.30p.m. addressed journalists, expressing concern over the rising spate of Boko Haram attacks in the north-eastern part of the country.
The governors of the opposition party said the situation had become worrisome, adding that despite the security measures by the armed forces, the terrorists seem to be intensifying its attacks and causing more deaths, injuries and damage to properties.
Addressing journalists after their meeting, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues said the Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo, had received a call over another attack in his state while the meeting was going on.
He said the governors had reflected on the current spate of Boko Haram attacks in the North-east and asked the military to wake up.
“We actually enjoined all the armed forces to step up their security measures to see how they can stem the tide of this menace. It is really a thing of concern to the PDP governments that in spite of all the efforts in the armed forces, these insurgents are still proving to be more formidable.
“So, we are sure if the armed forces step up a little bit, they should be able to curtail the insurgents.”
While referring to the reported incident in Gombe State, he said: “We received another report of another attack. We believe we all need rise up as a country to checkmate tis problem. We should be able to curtail it.”
Governor Emmanuel lamented the state of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), urging the military to step-up their operations to halt the insurgents attacks.
Emmanuel was however, silent on the position of the forum concerning the deputy chairmanship of the NGF for which their APC colleagues have allegedly opposed the candidacy of Governor Ayo Fayose.
The forum had earlier chosen Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Yari, as chairman. It is a tradition that the NGF will select its chairman from the ruling party and deputy from the opposition.
THISDAY gathered that part of the agenda of the PDP Governors’ Forum meeting was to take a position on Fayose’s candidacy.
Incidentally, Fayose was absent at the meeting. He was said to have travelled out of the country.
Nine PDP governors from Delta, Kogi, Bayelsa, Taraba, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Gombe, Ondo and Ekiti (deputy) were present at the meeting.
Just as the PDP governors were holed-up in their meeting, APC governors were also holding their meeting at the presidential villa.
It was not clear however what the outcome the APC governors meeting was as at the time of filling this report.
Just as the PDP governors were holed-up in their meeting, APC governors were also holding their meeting at the presidential villa.
It was not clear however what the outcome the APC governors meeting was as at the time of filling this report.
As at 10p.m., the governors were still arriving for the expanded meeting of the NGF which took place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.
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