Following his recent election as the President of the Forum of Regions of Africa (FORAF), Ekiti Governor, Kayode Fayemi has handed the leadership of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal.
Tambuwal has served as the NGF’s Vice Chairman with Fayemi as the Chairman.
In a statement on Thursday, NGF’s spokesman, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo said Fayemi announced the transfer of power to Tambuwal at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja on Thursday.
Tambuwal, according to Bello-Barkindo, will act as NGF’a Interim Chairman until May next year when a proper election is conducted among the governors.
Part of the statement reads: “The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ekiti State Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, today at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, held at the Aso Rock Villa Abuja transferred power of the NGF to the Governor of Sokoto State, Rt Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
“Tambuwal has served meritoriously and harmoniously as Vice Chairman of the Forum under Dr Fayemi in the last four years.
“Dr John Kayode Fayemi who was only a few weeks ago elected as the President of the Forum of Regional and State Governments in Saidia in the state of Casablanca in Morrocco attended the NEC virtually from New York City, where he is currently attending the United Nations General Assembly meeting.
“The Sokoto State Governor will be holding fort until May next year when a proper election is conducted among the governors.
“Before making the announcement, the Ekiti State Governor acknowledged the result driven output of the NEC and thanked his colleagues and other members of the council for their support.”
Read Also: Tambuwal leads 326-man campaign council
Bello-Barkindo quoted Fayemi as saying:. “Yes, we may be occasionally troublesome, coming from the Forum of Governors, and we do test your patience, but you have never really expressed any frustration with all our truculent questions and the insistence that the federation must be a true federation.”
The NGF’s spokesman added that Fayemi thank the Secretariat of the NEC and through the NEC thanked the President and Commander in Chief of the country for taking the resolutions of the NEC seriously by implementing them.
He said the Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, while responding, said Fayemi took the wind out of their sail, noting that he was to, on behalf of the NEC, commend the Ekiti governor for his “informed and patriotic services to the council in the last four years and that was enhanced by your chairmanship of the NGF, admitting that the NGF has ensured that we move to a true federation, not just in words but in deeds as well.”
“Professor Osinbajo prayed that Dr fayemi’s services both nationally and globally to development, and to all of the good which the nation deserves and the global community deserves will continue.”
According to the statement, Fayemi will formally hand over the Chairmanship of the NGF to Tambuwal on the October 16.