Rivers State Governor, Chief Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and his Akwa-Ibom state counterpart, Chief Godswill Akpabio were reportedly in a closed door meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, ostensibly to lay the foundation for the meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum(PDPGF) which commenced in Abuja Wednesday evening.
Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, surprisingly showed up in Wednesday’s meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party Governor’ Forum (PDPGF), opening a new chapter in the frosty relationship between him and the PDPGF which was thought to be set up to minimise his influence as NGF’s chairman.
Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State who has been critical of the formation of the PDPGF also made an appearance at the meeting hosted by the its Chairman, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State in his Lodge in Abuja.
Feelers from the late night meeting of Tuesday indicated that the two governors who represent the two extremes in the PDPGF was brokered by former Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum(NGF), Senator Bukola Saraki, who was said to have been alarmed about negative developments among governors of the PDP on matters relating to the NGF.
The meeting, which held in the Abuja Lodge of the Rivers state governor was described as a fence-mending one, with Amaechi and Akpabio said to have agreed to work together for the peace of the PDP and the PDPGF.
Saraki was said to have pleaded with the two governors to give peace a chance in both the NGF and the PDPGF as, according to him, the duo should ensure that the NGF lives, while also strengthening the PDPGF.
It was learnt that Amaechi had attributed his recent woes to the machinations of the Akpabio team, adding that they were bent on sending him out of the PDP.
But Akpabio was said to have argued that the NGF was not set up to foster the interest of any governor and that issues relating to internal affairs of the PDP should not be taken to NGF.
He was also said to have told Amaechi that while individual governors could harbour differences with the President on some issues, every party man must be loyal to the leader of the party or voluntarily withdraw his membership from that party.
Akpabio was also said to have stated that Amaechi had taken many of the governors by surprise when he wanted to conduct his re-election as NGF chairman without the due process.
A source stated that the two governors have however agreed to work together and set aside their differences, while Akpabio was also said to have pledged not to oppose Amaechi if he signifies his intention to seek re-election as NGF chairman.
Meanwhile sources indicated that some governors have raised the need to take the seat of NGF to the North following the emergence of Akpabio as PDPGF chairman.
Meanwhile, the PDPGF received the Governor Shehu Shema committee report on the South West zone reconciliation which Akpabio said they were very pleased with considering the level of job done.
Briefing correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, he expressed the hope that the crisis would be resolved in the next few weeks.
The forum also received the Governor Murtala Nyako’s committee report on the state of security in the nation and the forum was pleased with the in-depth work and the recommendation made by the committee towards resolving the insecurity in the land.
Governor Akpabio hinted that the recommendation which would be forwarded to President goodluck Jonathan and other appropriate government agencies, would assist in confronting the factors that contributed to insecurity in the country.
He also disclosed that the forum dwelt extensively on the affairs of the PDP and expressed optimism that with the situation of things, the party would win more states in future elections.
“There is a strong call that the NGF chairman should come from the North and the duo of Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger state and Ibrahim Shema of Katsina state are being considered. The argument is that all the positions should not be concentrated in the South South.
“The President is from the South South just as the Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees and the PDPGF Chairman. It is only proper to take the NGF to the North,” a source said on Wednesday.
The source however said that Amaechi is canvassing the position among his colleagues and that his camp believes that losing the NGF seat at this time would be a huge humiliation.
The Nigerian Tribune also gathered that all opinions would be ventilated at the PDPGF meeting holding at the Akwa-Ibom Governors’ Lodge in Abuja on Wednesday and that a decision would be taken democratically.
Source: Tribune
