Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola is exploring legal opportunities to proclaim Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi as Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum rather than Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, who lost the election by three votes but has nevertheless continued laying claim to chairmanship of the group.
In a suit he filed at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in his capacity as a member of the forum, the Lagos governor urged the court to declare Jang as incompetent to be called the elected chairman of the forum.
Joined as defendants in the suit are Director-General of the NGF, Asishana Okauru, Sole Administrator Osaro Onaiwu, and the Registered Trustees of the NGF.
Erstwhile Lagos Attorney General, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) and former President of the West African Bar Association President (WABA), Femi Falana (SAN) filed the writ of summons, claiming that 35 governors participated in the election and returned Amaechi as Chairman.
In addition, Fashola wants the court to declare Jang incompetent to relocate the secretariat of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum from 1 Deng Xiaoping Street, Off AIT Junction, Asokoro Extension, Abuja, to 2 Nana Close, by Ene Crescent, Off Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja or to any other location.
Meanwhile, while pro-Amaechi governors are exploring the legal alternative, pro-Jonathan governors are revving up their political strategies, the latest being to ruffle Chairman of Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF), Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and probably trigger his sack at the helm of the northern body.
Aliyu is believed to be a crucial part of the Amaechi NGF faction despite earlier presenting Jang as the consensus candidate of the NSGF in the lead-up to the larger NGF election. He has also been absent among the vocal voices backing Jang’s claim as elected Chairman, instead sticking by Amaechi.
One-time Minister and member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Professor Jerry Gana is reported to be spearheading the attack by stirring internal rebellion from Aliyu’s home state. It is alleged that a meeting to that effect was held earlier in the month in Bida, albeit it was disguised as a reception for Secretary to the Government of Niger State, Hon Saidu Ndako Idris.
But Gana has since denied, saying his consultations with people are mainly to prepare well for the 2015 governorship election.
“I have every right as a leader to consult with my people and it is very important and it is not every consultation that should be seen as a conspiracy,” he said.
“I am a democrat; I like to consult with our people to know exactly how they feel. So, it was a consultative meeting; it was not a conspiratory meeting at all. There is no design from the Presidency against Governor Babangida at all. Nothing like that whatsoever. It is now public knowledge that the governor of Niger is now more comfortable with the opposition and that is not our fault.”
Aliyu, who has chaired the NSGF for all the six years he’s been governor, is reported to have caved in to arguments against Jang by other northern governors, on the negatives of the perennial violence between Beroms and the Fulanis.
