Governors Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and his Plateau State counterpart Jonah Jang, are poised for a fresh test of their claim to the leadership of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) after Jang summoned a meeting of the governors
He wants them to discuss the stalemate over the monthly Federation Account Allocation. State Commissioners for Finance had walked out of the FAAC meeting on Thursday in Abuja. Jang is disputing last month’s election of Amaechi for a second term as chairman of the NGF.
The Rivers governor defeated Jang by 19 to 16 votes. Jang, however, insists that he emerged by consensus having been endorsed by the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF). Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the pro-Jang forces in the presidency are taking advantage of the governors’ desire for cash flow to encourage the Jang faction to summon a meeting of the NGF.
It was gathered that the forces in the presidency designed the plot to prove that Jang is actually in control. The factional meeting is also meant to finally determine the loyalty of the 23 PDP governors by the presidency and deal with the rebellious ones. But pro-Amaechi governors have made up their minds not shun the meeting because Federation Account Allocation Meeting is not within the purview of the NGF.
Findings have also confirmed that President Goodluck Jonathan may receive the Jang faction in audience on Monday under the pretext of seeking the NGF’s position on the revenue sharing crisis. A source said: “The Presidency wants to use Jang faction’s meeting to prove that it is backing this camp.
It is obvious that the meeting is at the instance of the forces in the Presidency. “They are desperately trying to secure the presence of at least 20 governors at the meeting because they were hurt that only 16 governors attended the inauguration of Jang faction’s secretariat of the NGF in spite of the alleged claim that Jang won the election.
“They have not been able to get up to 18 governors as at press time to undermine Amaechi. But they are unrelenting in their plot. They said they are out to seal Amaechi’s fate. “For PDP governors, especially those from the North, it is a booby trap to test their loyalty and determine who they voted for at the NGF election.
“This will enable the PDP leadership to deal with them including the hijack of the party structure from the rebellious governors and their godfathers ahead of 2015 poll.” A governor, who spoke in confidence, said: “As part of the secret agenda of Jang’s meeting, the factional NGF will later be hosted by Jonathan in order to confer legitimacy on Jang’s leadership.
“Already, governors in Jang’s camp are aware of the plot to visit the Villa on Monday for legitimacy. The itinerary is known to only a few strategists of Jang. But the governors loyal to the authentic chairman have vowed not to attend the session convened by Jang.
Another source added: “They are joking, they will fail in their bid to give NGF leadership to Jang through the backdoor. “Most of us will stand by the mandate we have given to Amaechi because he was duly elected. We will make sure they do not have the number. They want to be defeated the third time.”
He wants them to discuss the stalemate over the monthly Federation Account Allocation. State Commissioners for Finance had walked out of the FAAC meeting on Thursday in Abuja. Jang is disputing last month’s election of Amaechi for a second term as chairman of the NGF.The Rivers governor defeated Jang by 19 to 16 votes. Jang, however, insists that he emerged by consensus having been endorsed by the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF). Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the pro-Jang forces in the presidency are taking advantage of the governors’ desire for cash flow to encourage the Jang faction to summon a meeting of the NGF.
It was gathered that the forces in the presidency designed the plot to prove that Jang is actually in control. The factional meeting is also meant to finally determine the loyalty of the 23 PDP governors by the presidency and deal with the rebellious ones. But pro-Amaechi governors have made up their minds not shun the meeting because Federation Account Allocation Meeting is not within the purview of the NGF.
Findings have also confirmed that President Goodluck Jonathan may receive the Jang faction in audience on Monday under the pretext of seeking the NGF’s position on the revenue sharing crisis. A source said: “The Presidency wants to use Jang faction’s meeting to prove that it is backing this camp.
It is obvious that the meeting is at the instance of the forces in the Presidency. “They are desperately trying to secure the presence of at least 20 governors at the meeting because they were hurt that only 16 governors attended the inauguration of Jang faction’s secretariat of the NGF in spite of the alleged claim that Jang won the election.
“They have not been able to get up to 18 governors as at press time to undermine Amaechi. But they are unrelenting in their plot. They said they are out to seal Amaechi’s fate. “For PDP governors, especially those from the North, it is a booby trap to test their loyalty and determine who they voted for at the NGF election.
“This will enable the PDP leadership to deal with them including the hijack of the party structure from the rebellious governors and their godfathers ahead of 2015 poll.” A governor, who spoke in confidence, said: “As part of the secret agenda of Jang’s meeting, the factional NGF will later be hosted by Jonathan in order to confer legitimacy on Jang’s leadership.
“Already, governors in Jang’s camp are aware of the plot to visit the Villa on Monday for legitimacy. The itinerary is known to only a few strategists of Jang. But the governors loyal to the authentic chairman have vowed not to attend the session convened by Jang.
Another source added: “They are joking, they will fail in their bid to give NGF leadership to Jang through the backdoor. “Most of us will stand by the mandate we have given to Amaechi because he was duly elected. We will make sure they do not have the number. They want to be defeated the third time.”
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