There are indications that the issue of who heads the Nigeria Governors’ Forum will be top on the agenda of the meeting of governors elected on the Peoples’ Democratic Party, which holds today in Abuja.
A source close to the party leadership said the governors are likely to adopt a consensus candidate ahead of the next election of the NGF, which comes up in May.
The governors, who are meeting under the auspices of the new PDP Governors’ Forum would also examine the presentation of the Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State Reconciliation Committee on South-West, as well as the PDP GF’s structure and funding.
There have been two attempts by the Presidency to use some governors to remove Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as the chairman of the NGF.
In the end, the PDP Governors’ Forum was formed with Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State as the chairman.
Both the PDP and the Presidency have been exerting pressure on Amaechi to drop his ambition to run for a second term leading the forum.
A member of the party’s National Working Committee told this correspondent, “As a party, we have made enough attempts to bring all on board; but when you have many people in a party like the PDP, there are bound to be many ideas and characters.
“To be candid, since the crisis in the NGF, started, several efforts have been made to bring the Rivers State governor on board but you know when a man is recalcitrant, you retreat to explore other means of also preserving yourself; that is just it in politics.”
Meanwhile, a PDP stalwart, who spoke with reporters in Abuja on Sunday, said Nigerians would soon know that Amaechi was not a clean man.
He said, “A plot by powerful forces, in Abuja, in collaboration with the Presidency have hatched a plot to discredit, malign and completely destroy the reputation of Amaechi in preparation and laying the foundation for security and anti-corruption agencies to move into action in Rivers State and arrest the state officials.
“The plot would first involve the circulation in the social media and several dubious websites and blogs of doctored documents of alleged financial infractions and ‘monumental’ corruption by Rivers State Government Officials and Amaechi.”
He said that this would be followed by sponsored, paid articles and advertorials in the social media, national media, newspapers and magazines, loudly alleging corruption and corrupt activities by Amaechi and Rivers State Government officials and calling for their prosecution by security agencies and anti-corruption bodies.
As part of the plot, security agencies and anti-corruption agencies will then move into state to arrest government officials.
The action of the Federal Government was because of the refusal of the governors to abandon Amaechi in his battle to re-contest for the chairmanship of the NGF.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has asked Nigerians to support President Goodluck Jonathan if he wants to run for a second term in 2015.
The governor spoke in Abuja on Sunday when he visited the Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark.
He said, “As a loyal party member and a PDP governor, Delta State and I will support the South-South to produce the President in 2015.
“I thank the whole of Nigerians for supporting President Goodluck Jonathan so far and for making him the President.
“We are banking on the support of Nigerians to allow the South-South complete its eight year tenure come 2015.”