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  • Seven governors at PDP Governors Forum meeting

    Seven governors at PDP Governors Forum meeting

    •No feud among them, says Tukur

    Only seven of the 23 states where the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) holds sway attended the PDP Governors’ Forum meeting in Abuja yesterday.

    Governors at the meeting held at the Akwa Ibom Governor’s lodge, were Chairman Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); Liyel Imoke (Cross River); Ibrahim Dankwabo (Gombe); Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa); Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara); Mukhtar Yero (Kaduna); and Acting Governor of Taraba State, Garba Umar.

    Governors were: Benue, Adamawa, Plateau, Katsina, Abia, Bauchi, Ebonyi and Kogi were represented by their deputies.

    Governors that did not attend and failed to send their deputies were Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) who is abroad; Sule Lamido (Adamawa); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Aliyu Dakingari (Kebbi); and Sullivan Chime(Enugu).

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Alhaji Bamanga Tukur yesterday defended the formation of the PDP Governors Forum.

    Tukur told reporters at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano that there was nothing wrong for his office to create a new forum for PDP governors. He described the step as part of his reforms agenda.

    “They are two different institutions; and this is what people fail to understand. There is no division among the PDP governors. My governors are my foot soldiers. The emergence of the PDP Governors Forum is part of the needed reforms and that is what I have come to do in the PDP—to reconcile the party.

    “I believe in reconciliation without confrontation; I believe in reconciliation without revenge. My ambition is the rebuilding of the PDP, based on equity and justice,” Tukur stated.

    On his endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 ambition, Tukur said it was too early to start thinking of who gets what in 2015. “The issue of 2015 is not the agenda now because we have not concluded the agenda for 2013, left alone that of 2014 and then 2015,” he said.

    Tukur, who was visiting Emir Ado Abdullahi Bayero over the 19 January attack on his convoy, also had a brief meeting with the Kano PDP leadership at the airport before boarding his flight back to Abuja.

    At Bayero’s Palace, Tukur thanked God for sparing the Emir’s life and prayed that God will continue to guide and protect the royal father. The Emir urged Nigerians to pray for the return of peace and stability in the country.

     

  • Emir of Kano hails Northern Governors Forum’s chairman

    Emir of Kano hails Northern Governors Forum’s chairman

    The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero yesterday praised Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu for uniting the North.

    Bayero gave the commendation when he received Aliyu, in his palace. The governor was there to sympathise with the monarch over the recent attack on his convoy, which led to the death of three palace guards.

    A statement by Aliyu’s Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, quoted the Emir as saying that he was “particularly impressed with the efforts of Aliyu at promoting unity and development of the North and wished him God’s guidance.”

    The emir said he was “aware of the series of meetings called by the Northern States Governors Forum to find lasting solutions to the security challenges confronting the North and also fast track the development of the region.”

    He assured Aliyu of his support and the cooperation of other traditional rulers in the region, while encouraging him to build bridges across various sections of the country.

    Earlier, the governor had expressed gratitude to Almighty Allah for sparing the Emir’s life.

    He described the incident as both unfortunate and condemnable.

    Aliyu prayed for the repose of the souls of the slain guards, the governor wished others who sustained various degrees of injuries during the attack quick recovery.

    The governor also prayed for peace to reign in the region and the country at large.

  • Aliyu praises APC governors for visit to Borno

    Aliyu praises APC governors for visit to Borno

    FOR daring to converge on Maiduguri, Borno State headquarters of the deadly Boko Haram sect, the governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday got a pat on their back.

    Governors of the five Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)-controlled states, All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) were hosted in Maiduguri last week by their Borno counterpart.

    It was the second of such parley after the maiden edition was hosted in Lagos by Governor Babatunde Fashola.

    Chairman of Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) and Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, said the governors displayed rare courage by meeting in the sect’s stronghold.

    According to Aliyu, the governors’ action has not only demystified the myth surrounding the fundamental group but proved that the situation in the Borno State capital was not as bad as being portrayed.

    The NSGF chair said the planned visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the state today will permanently open the state to other people and correct all misgivings about the state.

    Aliyu gave the commendation while hosting Maj-Gen Baba Gana Mohammed Monguno, the new Commander of Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) of the Nigerian Army at the Government House, Minna.

    According to Aliyu, the governor’s visit to Maiduguri was a sign that the battle against terriorism would soon be over, noting that the APC governors braved all odds by visiting the Borno State capital.

    Describing the visit as a watershed, Aliyu said the visit afforded the governors’ an opportunity to have a better understanding of the situation in the Northeast state.

    He said: “I commend some colleague governors who visited Maiduguri some few days ago. Their visit and movement around the city made people to understand that things are not as bad as they are portrayed.

    “We at the Northern States Governors’ Forum have set up committees to look at the situation in Maiduguri and we are making progress with the report.

    ‘’I heard that President Goodluck Jonathan is going to visit Maiduguri on Thursday. It is a very good decision because with the President’s visit, Maiduguri will be opened to people who have been afraid to visit the place.”

    Aliyu suggested that more attention should be paid to intelligence gathering.

    He said: “We need to understand the society so that once we have intelligence report, we will be able to move and preempt those that want to destroy the society.”

    Acknowledging the high level of discipline and intellectualism in the military, the governor called for a strenghtened civil/military relations in order to infuse discipline into the society, stating that the nation needs the discipline of the military and its method of fighting corruption.

    “The military structure is based on discipline which is almost missing in the society. We need this discipline so that it can be transferred to the civil society,” he said.

    He urged the Nigerian Army high command to pay attention to TRADOC as it is the intelligence of the army, adding that he wants a situation where the research and findings of TRADOC are quoted everywhere to attract more relevance.

    He pledged his administration cooperation with the TRADOC chief to ensure that the peace and security of the state is maintained.

    Maj-Gen Mougudu assured the governor that the Command will engage in the sustenance of the peace and security of the state

     

  • North poised for showdown over PDP Governors Forum

    North poised for showdown over PDP Governors Forum

    The North is spoiling for a showdown with the newly formed PDP Governors’ forum.

    Many Northern leaders see the emergence of the forum as part of the ploy to stop power from returning to the North in 2015.

    At least, seven Northern governors, some members of the National Assembly, and elders from the North met in Abuja on Friday to discuss the implications of the coming of the PDP Governors’ Forum for North’s presidential ambition in 2015.

    The meeting was chaired by a Second Republic presidential adviser, sources said yesterday.

    The Nation gathered that the meeting resolved to ensure that the PDP Governors Forum does not succeed in stopping the North from winning the presidential race.

    The meeting is expected to be followed soon by that of the Northern Governors Forum to review the situation and suggest the way forward.

    One source, privy to the development said: “One of the governors present assured the gathering that the leadership of the NGF will soon meet to take a position on the development. According to the governor, the NGF is not pleased with the attempt by the president to truncate the unity existing among the governors in the country.”

    Forces opposed to the PDP Governors Forum are convinced that it needs the support of the Northern Governors Forum to succeed.

    Speaking to The Nation on condition of anonymity, a senator who was at the meeting said the decision to fight the PDP Governors Forum was taken because Northern leaders see it as another of President Goodluck Jonathan’s schemes to hijack the party’s machinery ahead of 2015.

    The second-term l legislator from the North-Central said it is worrisome that the president will not mind sacrificing the unity and brotherliness that has existed among Nigerian governors across party divides in his quest for another term.

    “We find the formation of the PDP Governors’ Forum a very strange development. We are shocked and disturbed that our president will not mind sacrificing the unity and brotherliness that has existed among Nigerian governors across party divides in his quest for another term in office.

    “This is why we resolved to work against the body. We have the assurance of our governors that it will not be as effective as its handlers will want it to be. It is not in the interest of the nation to pitch our governors against themselves,” the senator said.

    It was also gathered that Northern governors may meet this week to discuss the recent statement by their Chairman, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, that President Jonathan signed a pact in 2011 to serve for only one term.

    Sources at the secretariat of the Forum said invitation had already been extended to members for the crucial meeting which is also expected to discuss the emergence of the PDP Governors’ Forum among other things.

    “Yes, it is true the Forum will meet during the week. Members are all aware of the date and venue as the notice of the meeting has been sent out. I am not in a position to reveal the venue or date to you,” said a secretariat source who does not want her name in print.

     

  • APC woos PDP governors

    APC woos PDP governors

    As the civil war in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) festers, the governors involved in the merger talks have continued to woo their PDP counterparts for the new party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Sources said that the APC zonal coordinators have been visiting their counterparts, persuading them to jump ship and team up with the progressive leaders to dislodge PDP in 2015 polls.

    The governors being targetted are also being persuaded to give the conditions for their defection or collaboration with the APC, the source added. Apart from the exchange of text messages, the governors on the two divides also meet at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum meeting and social events.

    A Southwest PDP leader, who spoke with The Nation, said that the national leadership is worried by the APC tactics.

    He said: “The leaders of the political parties that formed the APC are capitalising on the crisis in the PDP to snatch our governors. It is easy to target governors who are ending their second term, but the PDP is rising to the challenge.”

     

     

  • Governors reject Jonathan’s bid to remove Amaechi

    Governors reject Jonathan’s bid to remove Amaechi

    Forum’s election put off till May

    It was a simple gathering of governors to elect their forum’s chairman.

    But the Abuja meeting turned out to be more – a verbal war between two governors and a retreat by President Goodluck Jonathan – backed opponents of Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) chairman.

    All was tense. After four hours, the governors postponed the election till May.

    The bad blood generated by the Presidency’s move to oust Amaechi and the insistence of his supporters to ensure he continues defined the meeting.

    Faced with a defeat of its bid to remove the Rivers State helmsman, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) formed its own Governors’ Forum on Sunday night under the leadership of Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio.

    It was learnt that anti-Amaechi forces proposed the postponement for time to restrategise.

    The anti-Amaechi forces secured only 16 signatures out of the 36 governors at the start of the meeting. They needed 24 signatories for two-thirds or 19 for simple majority.

    Reading the communique at the end of the meeting, Amaechi said: “We, the governors of the 36 states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at our 3rd meeting of the year held on Monday 25th February, 2013, at the Rivers State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja, deliberated on a number of issues and resolved as follows:

    “Members reviewed the affairs of the Forum in the past 21 months, detailing activities, achievements and challenges experienced during the period.

    “After exhaustive deliberation of the issues regarding filling vacant positions, the Forum resolved that election in this regard be postponed until May when the Chairman’s initial two-year tenure will expire.”

    Akpabio said: “We thought that the election should be held in May so that by that time, the new leadership will start functioning immediately after they are selected, elected or by consensus they are brought into office.”

    “This is almost a committee of equals. Anybody can be chairman or vice chairman. So, it is not a big deal for us.”

    On the newly-formed PDP Governors Forum, he said: “We are going to ensure total unification of the PDP. This time around, we want to put our house in order.”

    “While the Chairman of NGF can speak for all of us, the PDP Forum will only speak for the PDP governors.

    Anambra State Governor Peter Obi said: “The meeting went very well. The reason why we postponed the meeting is that our Constitution says the chairman must give a detailed account of his activities during his tenure before the election.”

    “And today, that account was presented. The incumbent has the right to recontest as long as our Constitution is not amended,” he said.

    The low point of the meeting was when Akpabio and Niger State Governor Aliyu Babangida engaged in a shouting match over the formation of the PDP Governors Forum.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said the session was characterised by tension on both sides of the divide. Amaechi was presiding.

    It was gathered that the tension followed a series of caucus meetings attended by the governors preparatory to the session.

    The source said: “Both sides had perfected their strategies, but the atmosphere was war-like for the conduct of an acceptable election.

    “As a matter of fact, discussions on the desirability of the election got to a point that the newly-elected chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom and the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, engaged in a shouting match at the session.”

    A source, who pleaded for anonymity, said: “The two governors almost engaged in fisticuffs when Aliyu stood up to make his views known on the formation of PDP Governors Forum at the Presidential Villa on Sunday night.

    “The Niger State Governor said there was no basis for forming the PDP Governors Forum. He told his colleagues that there was no problem running the NGF and if anybody has a contrary opinion, he can raise any issue for resolution at the forum. He described the PDP Governors Forum as a deliberate move by the Presidency to split the Nigeria Governors Forum and turn it into a tool to be used.

    “Aliyu repeatedly said ‘by forming another forum within a forum, it means forces from outside are at work. He said he saw that a dictator was going to emerge in President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Akpabio replied: “The PDP Forum was formed with the consent of party leaders in order to keep the party united.

    “There is nothing wrong with it. After all, you are the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum. Is there anything wrong with that? Has Northern Forum divided the NGF?

    “The President or the PDP is not using anybody.”

    “The shouting match between the two governors was so serious that some governors started packing their files, preparatory to leaving the venue of the meeting because they did not want to be part of the mess.

    “At that point, the two governors embraced each other. I think they raised their voices against each other as a carry-over of their irreconcilable positions on Jonathan’s second term ambition.

    “While Akpabio is for Jonathan’s second term, Aliyu recently reminded the President to stick to the one-term pact he signed with PDP governors. So, a minor issue at the meeting led to the shouting march.”

    The source added that the poll shift was at the instance of anti-Amaechi forces who sensed a loss at the meeting.

    The source said: “It was apparent to the forces against Amaechi that they might not secure two-thirds majority or a simple majority to remove the Rivers State Governor.

    “Prior to the commencement of the meeting, they were collecting signatories and they secured 16 out of 36, with only an opposition governor against Amaechi.

    “They also came to the meeting with a joker to make Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema the new Chairman of the NGF. All their permutations failed like a pack of cards. The pro-Amaechi governors also had a Plan B to make Aliyu the next NGF leader, in case of worst scenario.

    “In the midst of the commotion, Akpabio stood up to move a motion for the postponement of the election till May.

    Akpabio was quoted as saying: “Why are we in hurry to conduct this election? After all, the tenure of the chairman of the Forum will end in May.

    “The election has heated up the polity, as if we are fighting each other. Let us hold the election in May when this tension would have died down.”

    The source added: “The proposal from Akpabio was seen as an olive branch from the forces against Amaechi and it was unanimously adopted that the election be postponed till May.”

    Asked why the pro-Amaechi governors agreed to the postponement, the source said: “We knew Amaechi’s opponents forces would have staged a walk-out, if we had gone ahead with the election.

    “They did not have the number but they can create a crisis within the Forum and split it. This thing requires tact.”

    Some of the states represented at the meeting are Borno, Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Niger, Enugu, Bayelsa, Zamfara, Ebonyi, Ondo, Anambra and Abia.

    Others are: Plateau, Nasarawa, Ekiti, Benue, Sokoto, Gombe, Kano, Kogi, Adamawa, Jigawa, Imo, Edo, Kwara, Ogun, Osun and Katsina.

     

  • How Akpabio became PDP Governors’ Forum chair

    How Akpabio became PDP Governors’ Forum chair

    President Goodluck Jonathan declared a “war” against Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) Chair Rotimi Amaechi at a session with the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday night, it was learnt yesterday.

    He told the governors that he could not work with Rivers State Governor as the chairman of the NGF because the governor had not been fair to him as the nation’s number one leader.

    According to sources who know what transpired in House 7 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the President was visibly angry that he had been allegedly maligned by Amaechi over the oil wells dispute between Rivers State and Bayelsa State.

    It was gathered that the President said in view of the attitude of the governor, it would be difficult to work with Amaechi.

    It was also learnt that a video clip of an event in Calabar was shown to the governors to strengthen the President’s case against Amaechi.

    A source said: “The President made his point that no one can hide under the NGF to rubbish him in any manner. He told the PDP governors that he had had enough.

    “At a stage, the President said he was prepared for the worst, rather than allow Amaechi to tarnish his integrity. He asked the PDP governors to call Amaechi to order.

    “Those at the session saw a video clip of an event in Calabar in which Amaechi purportedly indicted Jonathan on the rift over oil wells between Bayelsa and Rivers states.”

    It was also learnt that the President got angry and said: “I cannot work with Amaechi as the chairman of the NGF.”

    Another source quoted the President as saying: “If there is any issue, let us sort it out physically, man-to-man, instead of someone hiding under the Governors Forum to score cheap points.

    “At that point, a pin-drop silence enveloped the venue because it was an open declaration of ‘war’ by the President.

    Asked how the governor responded to the President’s speech, the source said they were all speechless at the session which had the National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and acting National Secretary, Barrister Onwe Onwe in attendance.

    With the comments of the President, the governors were boxed into a corner when the idea of a PDP Governors Forum was broached.

    “I think the plot was already hatched before the President called for the meeting. That was how Governor Godswill Akpabio emerged as the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum,” the source said.

    Asked why no governor could make any input, the source, who pleaded not to be named, added: “The fear of backlash accounted for it. With the vituperations against Amaechi, no governor needed to be told to keep quiet.

    “The mood at the meeting suggested that the Presidency could clampdown on any of the governors. So, it was better to beat a tactical retreat.”

    But barely few hours after the forceful emergence of Akpabio, Northern governors in PDP regrouped to reject the “imposition”.

    They said the North ought to have produced the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, going by the fact that 15 out of 23 members of the newly formed Forum are from the North.

    Another source added: “The governors are insisting that the election of the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum ought to be thrown open.

    “They want the choice of Akpabio revisited because it was not democratically done. That is another challenge facing the NGF.”

     

  • North’s governors urge militants to lay down arms

    North’s governors urge militants to lay down arms

    The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF), in a statement by its chairman, Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, said it was worried about “senseless killing of innocent citizens” in the North.

    The statement, signed by Aliyu’s Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, asked the terrorist groups to embrace dialogue.

    The statement said: “The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) has appealed to terrorist groups in the country to give peace a chance, saying a situation where aggrieved individuals take laws into their hands will not advance the course of peace.

    “The chairman of the forum and Governor of Niger State said the senseless killing of innocent citizens from Thursday last week through the weekend in various parts of the North negated all efforts to restore peace to the region.

    “The forum expressed serious concern at the renewed attacks on citizens, beginning from a fire incident caused by bomb blast at Gamboru Market in Borno State on Thursday, as well as the killing of 10 people at Kogom Village in Plateau State on the same day.

    “The forum said it was equally alarmed at the killing of five young men playing card game in Gombe town on Friday and the killing of another five persons and burning of houses when Hausas and Jikuns reportedly engaged themselves in a bloody combat in Wukari, Taraba State on Saturday.

    “The forum said it is saddened by the news on Sunday of the death of five persons in Zangon Kataf Local Government of Kaduna State which took a violent pattern like the ones before it.

    “It decried the rising wave of murders of innocent Nigerians and increasing propensity of citizens to resort to violence to settle their differences.

    “The forum said the surest way to resolve differences is through dialogue and therefore challenged those with grievances in all parts of the country to follow the path of dialogue instead of violence.

    “The forum commiserated with the families of those killed or injured during the blast and called on all security agencies to double their efforts in the discharge of their responsibilities of protecting the lives and property of the citizens.

    “It said Northern Governors were working closely with the federal government to ensure that normalcy returns to the region.”

     

  • 12 PDP governors to join APC, says Senator

    12 PDP governors to join APC, says Senator

    Former Kano State Governor, Senator Kabiru Gaya, yesterday said that at least 12 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors will soon join the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Senator Gaya who is Chairman, Senate Committee on States and Local Government, disclosed in an interview with journalists in Abuja .

    The lawmaker said that the discussion of a select group of APC members with some PDP governors is progressing “steadily and positively.”

    Gaya who refused to give the specific number of PDP governors APC is discussing with simply said that governors are not only 12 as being speculated.

    He said, “We are already talking to some governors, not only 12 as being speculated.

    “There may even be more PDP governors and by the time APC is fully composed it will simply be the winning party from day one.

    “The discussion is progressing steadily and positively almost ready to produce result.”

    “So I hope the media will give us the co-operation we require because with the media Nigeria can be better.”

    Gaya (Kano South ANPP) said that members of APC are putting heads together to make sure that they give Nigerians “a better choice that will lead to a better fulfillment for the country’s agenda.”

    He said, “This is the party of people of interest. Why we have this merger by group of parties-the ANPP, CPC, APGA, ACN and even the DPP has also joined us.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Fresh intrigues as governors elect new chair tomorrow

    Fresh intrigues as governors elect new chair tomorrow

    The high wire politicking to oust Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State as chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) moved into another gear last night.

    Election  into the office has been scheduled for tomorrow in Abuja, barring  a  last minute change, contrary to the agreement  reached at the forum’s last meeting on Thursday to adjourn indefinitely on the matter.

     Forces bent on terminating the governor’s   leadership of the all- powerful NGF are understood to have  regrouped last night in Abuja  to perfect  the plot to deny him a second term in office.

    Their grouse against him is that he is using his position  to  promote his joint presidential ambition with Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State ahead of the 2015 election thereby jeopading the chances of President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term.

    The  anti-Amaechi   forces have also hatched  a “Plan B” to split the Governors Forum  should  he be  re-elected.

    They are not ruling out a  court action  to stop the NGF from going ahead with the election if it is glaring that Amaechi will win.

    On the card is a  push for a caretaker committee or an interim chairman  to run the affairs of the NGF until the planned litigation is over .

    A smear campaign against Amaechi has already commenced as part of the  plan to ‘put him in his place’ following his alleged interest in the presidential race.

    A highly-placed source, who spoke in confidence last night, said  ”after consultations last night the governors elected to hold the election on Monday to get over this issue which is causing distraction.

    “The election is assuming a dirty dimension because of the desperate bid of some individuals in government to stop Amaechi from being re-elected.

    “The more we defer the poll, the dirtier the politics will be and the NGF might be worse for it.”

    Asked about the politicking so far, the source said: “There is anxiety everywhere among the governors and even in the presidency. An otherwise harmless election is now being turned into a show of strength.”

    The anti-Amaechi forces were meeting in Abuja at press time  in what a source familiar with the development called  ”strategic manoeuvring”.

    Investigation confirmed that those coordinating the campaign against   Amaechi include a governor from the North-Central, who has being posturing as non-aligned in the crisis.

    Others are some Ministers, a topshot in the presidency,    a former governor, two South-South governors, and two South-East governors.

    The source added: “When these strategists met, they became desperate to the extent of considering a likely split of the Governors Forum if Amaechi is re-elected.

    “Alternatively, they are planning to use the legal process to stop Amaechi at all costs.

    “The governors are aware of this Plan B, that is why they are being cautious in handling the election matter. The D-Day is certainly Monday.”

    Amaechi and Lamido have dismissed speculations about their presidential ambtion.

    The matter recently sparked a dirty war of words between  Amaechi and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder   Godsday Orubebe.

    It was gathered  that the anti-Amaechi forces  are unwilling to forgive him for daring to threaten President  Jonathan’s bid for a second term in office, moreso when the  governor is from the South South  like the President.

    The Governors Forum is already divided over the issue.

    Rooting for Amaechi are: Sule Lamido(Jigawa);Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso( Kano );Aliyu Babangida( Niger );Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa); Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo ); Babatunde Fashola( Lagos ); Kayode Fayemi(Ekiti); Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Ibikunle Amosun(Ogun); Kassim Shettima ( Borno); Ibrahim Gaidam( Yobe); Rochas Okorocha (Imo);\ Abdulfatahi Ahmed (Kwara); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); and Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo).

    Against him are: Godswill Akpabio(Akwa Ibom); Henry Seriake-Dickson(Bayelsa); and Ibrahim Shema (Katsina).

    The  position of the other governors is uncertain for now.

     The pro-Amaechi governors are making their own move  by  launching  a counter-move by wooing their colleagues on the need to preserve the sanctity of the Forum.