Six governors elected on the ticket of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) refused to show up at the inaugural meeting of the PDP Governors’ Forum, which held in Abuja on Monday night.
The governors were the Rivers State Governor and the embattled chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rotimi Amaechi; Babangida Aliyu of Niger State; Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State; Sullivan Chime of Enugu State; Aliyu Wammako of Sokoto State and Sa’idu Dakingari of Kebbi State.
No explanations were given for their absence as they also did not send their deputies to represent them, as is usually the norm.
Eight other governors, who were not at the meeting, sent their deputies unlike the six absentee governors.
The meeting had seven governors and the acting governor of Taraba State in attendance.
Also, the Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih was also at the meeting, accompanied by the Board Secretary, Senator Walid Jibrin and the former governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo.
A former President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani, was also at the meeting, which was held at Akwa Ibom Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.
The refusal of Amaechi to attend the meeting might not be unconnected with the reported plans by the Presidency to remove him as the chairman of the NGF.
The Presidency is believed to be using some governors to remove Amaechi, believing that he was not working with the move to return President Goodluck Jonathan to power in 2015.