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Tag: NGF

  • NGF has outlived its usefulness, says Aginighan

    A former acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Pastor Power Aginighan, has called on the factional chairmen of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) to voluntarily wind up the body.

    Aginighan told The Nation that the present crisis rocking the group was an indication that the NGF has outlived its usefulness.

    Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and his Plateau State counterpart, Jonah Jang, are locked in a fierce political tussle over the control of the NGF.

    While Amaechi is believed be the duly elected chairman, Jang enjoys the support of The Presidency.

    Aginighan said: “I am bold to declare that the Nigeria Governors Forum has outlived its usefulness. It should therefore enter into voluntary liquidation as the only option to spare the nation from the embarrassment of the tale of two chairmen.

    “They (governors) should all return to their seats and devote their energies to the task of providing the comforts of modern civilisation needed by the citizenry in line with the mandates entrusted to them.

    “With their dominance in the constitutionally enshrined National Economic Council and National Council of States, the governors can, with proper networking, still place a check on an overbearing President,” Aginighan, a former Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the NDDC, added.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Presidential ill-grace

    Presidential ill-grace

    The Amaechi-led NGF chose the high road to avoid a crude power show from Aso Rock

    The so-called coincidence of meetings presaged a showdown. The President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, had scheduled a dinner to hold at the time the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) had set its inaugural meeting after the election that reaffirmed Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as the chairman.

    It set off a hubbub of a partisan flavour. Who was going to attend the meeting called by the governor and who was going to honour the President’s invitation? But it turned out to be a non-event to the extent that the expected clash of schedules was nullified by the attendance of some governors who met briefly and decided to honour the President’s invitation to a dinner.

    If it was a non-event because the clash did not generate headline, it told a loftier story. The governors of the forum chose the high road. They decided to deprive the president the low gloating of a fight. The governors were not invited to the dinner until about two days to the event whereas the event had long been planned. Foreign guests like the Malawian President Joyce Banda and Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, attended. It is obvious those foreign dignitaries were not served their invitation a fortnight before the event the way the governors were served via text messages. Why were they served an invitation after the governors had set a date for their meeting? No such collision of schedule happened when Governor Jonah Jang called his team of renegade losers for a meeting.

    It is obvious the clash was choreographed by the president and his team as a show of power. This is patently unpresidential. Secondly, it continues the malicious saga of the president in his role in the clash already going on in the NGF between governors loyal to the president and the others who are clearly sticking to the independence of the body.

    We also learned on good authority that when the so-called opposition governors arrived, they did not have seats waiting for them. They had to search for seats. Some of the top officers of the Jonathan presidency vacated their seats in embarrassed fashion for the governors. More embarrassing was that some of them sat in the back row with journalists. Obviously, the presidency did not expect the governors to attend.

    We know now that the invitation of governors to the dinner was an afterthought emanating from an obnoxious desire to display presidential brawn. The president has been showing in vicarious fashion his displeasure with the Governor of Rivers State. Only last week, his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, defied all decorum and acted like an officer of state when she visited Port Harcourt, and breached the governor’s protocol in a show of unconstitutional power. She played the impostor. She also attended a wedding that she converted into a platform for uncouth mouthing and vituperations of an elected governor. It reinforces the lack of class that the president has displayed since the face-off with the Rivers State Governor started.

    It is the same lack of grace that encouraged the commissioner of police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, to bar local leaders from paying visits to the governor. It was a crude behaviour that defies all decorum and principles of the rule of law. We cannot defend the president for not calling both his wife and the commissioner of police to order. This shows that the president has embraced this lack of finesse and his presidential actions and inactions have endorsed them.

    For instance, his spokesmen said they did not take sides in the recently concluded NGF election. But the president, never one with the subtlety to disguise his mischief, endorsed Governor Jang, the renegade leader of the forum. This shameless contradiction has become a staple of a presidency now crippled by a lack of moral high ground.

    When the governors showed up at the dinner, Governor Amaechi decided, out of courtesy, to walk for a handshake with President Jonathan. He received a curt rebuff from his security aides. The reason? It was out of sync with protocol. Since when was it out of protocol to say hello to the president at a public event? This has happened several times. Lesser mortals have been shown on national television to go through the so-called impregnable protocol wall with the chief security officer and ADC to pump hands with the head of state. We have seen governors do that as well. Why was it different in the story of Amaechi?

    The president has failed to recognise that the office, once elections are over, is not a partisan haven. It is the seat of the nation’s integrity. The higher spirits of the land – pride, honour, truth, fairness, balance, justice, empathy – should exude from its cathedral pores.

    Rather, what we have seen is a serial disregard for justice and even the rudiments of dignity. We commend the governors for lightening the tension by putting off their meeting to another day. But the president needs to be cautioned against turning the same body that buoyed him to power into a theatre of division, fuss, malicious ill-grace and vengeance.

  • Drama as Amaechi, Jang sit together at NEC meeting

    Drama as Amaechi, Jang sit together at NEC meeting

    Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi and his Plateau State counterpart, Jonah Jang, sat together during Thursday’s National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, as governors were made to sit alphabetically according to their states.

    The sitting arrangement was changed as previous NEC meetings before the election always positioned Amaechi close to the Chairman of the NEC meeting, Vice- President Namadi Sambo, where the Rivers governor always highlight the Nigeria Governors’ Forum position on issues.

    Since Amaechi was re-elected as NGF chairman in May after beating Jang by 19  to 16 votes, the Plateau governor has led a faction of the forum.

    Apart from opening a parallel office of NGF in Abuja, Jang has declared himself chairman of the forum just as he maintained that he was the consensus candidate of 19 governors before the election.

    Since that controversial election, Thursday’s NEC meeting was the first time the feuding duo would sit on a round table.

    Amaechi arrived at the meeting before Jang and on getting to his seat said: “So we are sitting together, authentic and the fake chairman.”

    The two governors then greeted and shook hands with each other when Jang arrived few minutes later.

    When Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, arrived, he jokingly said in front of television cameras and pointed to Amaechi: “This is my chairman,” and said to Jang: “This is PDP faction chairman.”

    On his arrival and noticing the sitting arrangement for Rivers and Plateau governors, the Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu said: “This is nice o. Somebody is trying to be diplomatic here.”

    The meeting commenced as soon as the vice president arrived the meeting.

     

  • Amaechi, Jang to renew NGF battle at NEC today

    Amaechi, Jang to renew NGF battle at NEC today

    Who occupies the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) chairman’s seat at today’s National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja?

    Today’s meeting is the first since the disputed NGF election, which was won by Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who scored 19 votes to beat Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang, who had 16.

    It will be a challenge for Vice-President Namadi Sambo, who is the chairman of the NEC.

    While majority of the governors were last night pushing for Amaechi as the rightful occupant of the seat, the 16 governors supporting Jang were lobbying the Presidency to concede the seat to the Plateau State helmsmen.

    It was learnt that pro-Amaechi governors may walk out of the NEC meeting if Jang is recognised as the NGF chairman.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The governors have shifted the battle over NGF chairmanship to the NEC meeting.

    “As the chairman of NEC, the VP will face a major test today on who to recognise as the chairman of the NGF, who plays a pivotal role at the council meeting.

    “If Sambo recognises Jang, it could cause a split in NEC and if he does not, he will be working at cross-purpose with his principal.

    “The alternative is for Sambo to rely on the ongoing case in court and assume full control of the NEC session but some forces in the Presidency will not like it.”

    A governor, who spoke with our correspondent last night, said: “The real battle for the NGF chairmanship will be at the NEC meeting. Nigerians will now see the two camps in their true colours.

    “Apart from the fact that Amaechi was validly elected as the chairman of NGF, it will be subjudice for the VP to recognise Jang. There is a subsisting suit against Jang for claiming to be the NGF chairman.”

    Another source in the Presidency said: “The government is trying to address this issue; we envisage a smooth session at the NEC meeting.”

    Amaechi, who left the Presidential “Mid-tern dinner for tansformation team” before it closed last night at the Villa, spoke with reporters.

    He said it would be undemocratic if he was suspended by the PDP because he won the NGF election.

    Amaechi said: “If the PDP is suspending me for that reason, too bad. We must learn to be democratic. I am not aware that the party has given any reason for suspending me; if that is the reason, too bad. The party is yet to give any reason for my suspension. I am not aware that the party suspended me for winning an election.”

    The governor said he was not aware of any faction in the NGF as he is the forum’s authentic chairman.

    “Was NGF sick? I don’t know about factions. We are holding NGF meeting and we agreed that those of us who were there should honour the President and attend the dinner. We have attended; you saw all of them; some have left and I am leaving too.”

    On the way forward, Amaechi said: “That is the question to ask Jang and those who are supporting him. Those with me are in the majority.”

  • NGF shifts meeting for presidential dinner

    NGF shifts meeting for presidential dinner

    DESPITE moves to divide their ranks, members of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) maintained their unity yesterday. They reported at the Rivers State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja for their scheduled inaugural meeting since the re-election of Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

    The session was, however, symbolic as the meeting was later shifted last night to attend a dinner organised by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The governors were at the Lodge between 7pm and 8.18pm to defer to the President.

    It was gathered that there was a heated debate on the invitation by the President, especially why it clashed with the NGF meeting.

    But the NGF members decided to bend backward to prove that they have no personal grudges against the President.

    A source at the session said: “At the meeting, some governors insisted that they should not attend but others wanted the Forum to honour the President.

    “After a consideration of the arguments for and against, most of the governors asked the Forum to honour Jonathan.

    “But what the meeting achieved was that we have succeeded in holding the first NGF meeting after the re-election of Governor Rotimi Amaechi as our chairman.

    “They thought that we won’t be able to sustain our support for Amaechi but we have proved that we are certainly behind him.

    Another source said: “The NGF members were of the opinion that the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should be respected. We have decided to defer to this office and postpone our meeting tonight.

    “Since we are in the majority, if we go ahead with the NGF meeting, we will be ridiculing the Office of the President. We are not at war with Jonathan, we want to prove to him that the NGF battle is not personal, it is about the sanctity of the ballot and democracy.

    “We also want to show that neither Amaechi nor any of the 19 governors backing him is after a do-or-die battle.”

    Asked if the shift was not in connection with alleged division of the NGF by the presidency, the source added: “Not at all. We want Nigerians to see that we are democrats who have respect for the nation’s constitution and the President who is the number one symbol of the nation’s democracy.

    “Any of us could also be the nation’s President; we believe we should postpone the meeting in deference to the presidency. We will old our meeting soon.”

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, who briefed newsmen, said: “We are honouring the president’s invitation to dinner. If the dinner ends in good time, we will be back for our meeting. If it stretches longer than we anticipate we would stick with the President.”

    The governors at the Rivers Lodge are Rotimi Amaechi (Chairman); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Fayemi (Ekiti); Sule Lamido(Jigawa); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Tanko al-Makura (Nasarawa); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Rabiu Kwankwanso (Kano); Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); AbdulAziz Yari (Zamfara); Rochas Okorocha(Imo); the Deputy Governor of Borno, Zannah

    Umar Mustapha; and the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori.

    Amaechi said: “There was no meeting, we decided to defer to the President. We agreed that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that as compatriots and as governors of different states, we must honour and respect the president and having invited us to a dinner, we decided to go for the dinner.”

    On when the meeting would be re-convened, the NGF chairman said, “the next meeting will be at the next National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.”

  • NGF crisis: Lawyers fight over representation of parties

    •Disagreement stalls proceedings

    Disagreement among lawyers on who should represent Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State and two others yesterday stalled proceedings in the suit by Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on the leadership crisis in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).

    Fashola is seeking among others, an order restraining Plateau Governor Jang from parading himself as Chairman, NGF on the grounds that Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi won the election.

    He also pleads for an order restraining Osaro Onaiwu from acting as the forum’s Sole Administrator.

    Named as defendants are Jang, Asishana Bayo Okauru (forum’s Director- General), Onaiwu and the forum’s Registered Trustees.

    Yesterday, the inability of Paul Erokoro (SAN) and Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) to agree on who should represent Jang and Onaiwu and a similar disagreement between Awa Kalu (SAN) and F. N. Nwosu on who should represent the registered trustees stalled proceedings.

    At the mention of the case, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), accompanied by Femi Falana (SAN), announced appearance for the plaintiff.

    Oyetibo, accompanied by Mathew Burkaa, announced for Jang and Onaiwu. Erokoro also announced for the same parties.

    Kalu announced for Okauru and the trustees. Nwosu also announced appearance for the trustees.

    The claims by Oyetibo and Erokoro (to be appearing separately for Jang and Onaiwu) and Kalu and Nwosu (to be appearing separately for the trustees) sparked argument that lasted about 30 minutes, with each lawyer claiming to have been validly instructed.

    At a point, Osinbajo opposed suggestion that the case be stood down for sometime to enable the lawyers sort themselves out.

    He urged the court to strike out the processes filed for Jang and the trustees because the filing of two processes for a party amounted to an abuse of court process.

    “This is the same confusion in the Governors’ Forum,” he noted.

    Justice Peter Affen said it had not got to a stage where the documents filed by the two sets of lawyers were filed separately for Jang and the trustees.

    He advised the lawyers to resolve the disagreement.

    “We are in the spotlight again, both the Bar and the Bench. We should not allow acts that will further erode from our credibility.

    “Let us not be caught by the problem of the Governors’ Forum. They did not resolve their problem amicably. This is why we are here. We should amicably resolve ours,” Justice Affen said.

    In a short ruling after, the judge held that it was an obvious conflict in the representation of the first (Jang), third (Onaiwu) and fourth (the Trustees) defendants.

    “I will grant an adjournment to enable counsel resolve this conflict,” the judge said and adjourned till July 3.

    It was later learnt that the lawyers agreed that Oyetibo should lead the legal team for Jang and Onaiwu, as he was duly briefed. They explained that the initial confusion in legal representation was caused by some Jang’s loyalists, who briefed Erokoro (SAN) on behalf of Jang.

    They told The Nation that “the matter has been resolved with Oyetibo as the lead counsel.”

    Jang and Onaiwu have filed a preliminary objection and statement of defence to the suit.

    They want the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that it lacks jurisdiction to hear it, the suit is frivolous and that the plaintiff lacks the right to sue.

    Jang, who gave details of what transpired at the May 24 meeting of the NGF, insisted that he is the forum’s leader.

     

  • Amaechi calls for NGF meeting on Wednesday

    Amaechi calls for NGF meeting on Wednesday

    Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rotimi Amaechi on Monday fixed the first meeting of the Governors’ forum after his re-election in May for Wednesday in Abuja.

    Despite Amaechi winning the election last month by beating Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang by 19 votes to 16 votes, Jang had gone ahead to lead a faction of NGF as he claimed that he was the consensus candidate of 19 governors prior to the election.

    While the Amaechi group was yet to call a meeting, the Jang faction called a meeting of NGF last week, Monday 17th June, 2013, which was only attended by 16 governors.

    But the Amaechi’s invitation for tomorrow’s meeting issued by a Press Officer of the NGF Secretariat, Chidimma Onyenalim reads: “There will be a meeting of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Wednesday 26th June, 2013. Time: 8.00pm prompt. Venue: Rivers State Governor’s Lodge, No. 5 Justice Mohammed Bello Street, Asokoro, Abuja.”

  • NGF: Accept defeat, Niger Delta group tells presidency

    NGF: Accept defeat, Niger Delta group tells presidency

    The Niger Delta Civil Society Coalition (NDCSC) has condemned what it called “the impunity and show of power in Rivers State” by the leaders of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the face-off between President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

    It also asked the Presidency and the governors to respect the outcome of the duly-conducted election of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), where Amaechi was re-elected as the chairman, but which President Jonathan was reportedly not comfortable with.

    These were contained in the NDCSC’s communiqué in Port Harcourt yesterday, at the end of a special roundtable, with the theme: “Defending Democracy.” It was signed by the Chairman of the coalition, Anyakwee Nsirimovu and 23 others.

    The Rivers governor defeated his Plateau State counterpart, Jonah Jang by 19 votes to 16, with the humiliation leading to the emergence of factional NGF, led by Jang, to cover the shame.

    The NDCSC is a non-partisan, non-profit, non-governmental coalition of critical civil society organisations, drawn from across the communities of the nine states of the political Niger Delta region, academic community, labour unions and other stakeholders.

    Members of the coalition are united in their vision of a just, equitable and indivisible people and in the building of effective participatory democracy, good governance, social, economic and political justice, and the respect and promotion of the fundamental human rights of all citizens and residents.

    The communiqué read in part: “We call on the Presidency and all elected representatives of the people to end, the most undemocratic culture of impunity, by taking the rule of law and due process requirements seriously.

    “NDCSC calls on the President to void forthwith, in the public interest, any practice or use of powers democratically and constitutionally entrusted upon him to govern, protect life and property of citizens in an abusive manner, or manipulating the same in settlement of political scores.

    “We call on the Presidency and political elite to shun speeches that can be termed hate speech and have capacity to cause dissension, humiliate and or reduce the integrity of his office.

    “NDCSC calls on the Presidency and governors to respect the outcome of a duly-conducted Nigeria Governors’ Forum election that is considered free, fair and credible. Therefore, leave positive examples for broader future elections.

    “We call on the Presidency and colleagues to support the sustenance and consolidation of democracy that is accountable, respectful of the rule of law in which the constitution is supreme, all citizens are equal before the law, no one is above the law, corruption is minimised and punished, state authorities respect the rights of citizens.”

    The coalition also called on the Presidency to take its responsibility to protect all Nigerian citizens, under both international law and the nation’s constitution most seriously, noting that the presidency should prevent, rather than stoke conflict in any guise whatsoever.

    It also admonished Nigerian governors and legislators to respect the constitutional requirements for the third tier of government, stressing that the legislators and the relevant committees should effectively investigate suspicions, fraud and abuses within the state and local government agencies, under their jurisdiction.

    The legislators were also tasked by the NDCSC to monitor the overall efficiency and integrity of government and allegations of wrongdoing in an objective, transparent and in accordance with the requirements of known statutes.

    It urged Federal Government to effectively and efficiently conclude the amnesty programme in such a manner that its dangerous monetisation impact did not motivate peaceful and law-abiding young people into violence.

    NDCSC also admonished the Presidency to take capacity seriously in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and ensure that the East-West Road and other critical infrastructure in the region were given priority attention, to ensure job creation for teeming millions of helpless and frustrated young people.

    The group insisted that participation in the 2015 general elections should be based on performance, merit and all political parties should internalise democratic values and rule of law.

    It called on the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, to ensure that the Nigeria Police in all of their ramifications did not assume the character of a political, omnipotent force, that would be master, rather than servant of the people, while declaring that officers found wanting should be dismissed forthwith.

    The NDCSC also asked the National Judicial Commission, the Chief Justice of the Federation and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to guard judicial independence and integrity most jealously.

    It added: “A democratic rule of law requires a judiciary that is, at every level, neutral, independent from political influence, and reasonably competent and resourceful.

    “Most of all, it requires a constitutional court, willing to constrain the power of the mighty and defend the rights of the meek.”

     

  • PDP, NGF crises caused by 2015 ticket – Jang

    PDP, NGF crises caused by 2015 ticket – Jang

    The Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, has said the quest for the 2015 presidential ticket was responsible for the crises in the Peoples Democratic Party and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

    He made the remark at the end of the meeting of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.

    “We know this whole thing is about 2015. But I want to let them know that 2015 is in the hands of God. Let us wait and see,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the governor as saying at the meeting.

    Jang insisted that he remained the authentic chairman of the NGF and promised to make peace with the other governors keeping away from the meetings presided over by him.

    “In a big party such as this, you will expect these crises to happen. PDP is solid and if some opposition thinks they will use our members to break our ranks, they are wasting their time.

    “By the time we finish our National Executive Council meeting, PDP will come back stronger,’” he said.

    The Secretary of the BoT, Sen. Walid Jibril, said the wrangling in the party formed part of the discussion at the meeting.

    “Details will unfold at the NEC meeting on Thursday.

    “We discussed matters connected to the progress of our party in preparation for the NEC meeting coming up on Thursday.

    “We want to assure you that details of the activity will be properly communicated to you after the NEC meeting,” Jibril said.

    He explained that as an advisory body, the BoT cannot enforce its resolution until it is ratified by NEC.

    President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice President Muhammad Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark; Deputy Senate President Ike Ekwerenmadu and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, attended the meeting.

    Others were former PDP National Chairman, Sen. Barnabas Gemade, Prof. Jerry Gana, Chief Jim Nwobodo and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

     

     

  • NGF imbroglio: Jang’s meeting illegal – Fayemi

    NGF imbroglio: Jang’s meeting illegal – Fayemi

    The governor of Ekiti state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi on Monday described a meeting of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum called by the Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State as illegal.

    He also disagreed with the call made by the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Okey Wali (SAN), seeking the dissolution of the NGF.

    Fayemi, who said he was not aware of any meeting of the Forum, said that only Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, who was duly elected the chairman of the forum, is competent to call a lawful meeting of the governors.

    “Any other meeting is illegal,” he said.

    The Ekiti governor, while responding to questions by journalists a thet Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, venue of the seventh edition of the NBA Law Conference, said the only meeting he was aware of was that called by President Goodluck Jonathan who he said has been meeting with the governors individually.

    “Most of us would attend meetings with the President because he is our president and we have to honour him,” he said.

    Fayemi described the NBA president‘s call as strange “because he is fully aware of the constitutional provision to freely associate.”

    “Just as the lawyers freely associate under the umbrella of the NBA without let or hindrance, the governors too have a right to freely associate with each other to exchange ideas and share experience,” he added.

    He said the NGF does not in any way distract the governors’ attention from governance of their respective states as they only meet once in a month on the eve of the National Executive Council of State meetings to articulate the position they would push at the meeting.