Jang leads NGF faction to Jonathan

Gov. Jonah Jang of Plateau and factional Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), on Friday led 14 state governors to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa.

Addressing State House correspondents after a closed door meeting, Jang said they were in the villa to consult with the President.

He said “we have met with Mr President with me leading a team of governors from the Nigerian Governors Forum to congratulate Mr President and to consult with him on very serious national issues’’.

When asked on the specific issues discussed with President Goodluck Jonathan, the governor said it ranged from security to governance and development.

“You know the security problem in the country and what we need to do in the coming two years to ensure that democracy stabilised and development continues in the country,” he said.

Also responding to the question of the division in NGF, he said: “Well, let me tell you that there is no any faction of the NGF. The NGF is one and I am the chairman of the NGF.’’

The governors, who met the president with Jang, included Liyel Imoke of Cross River, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, Peter Obi of Anambra, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa and Theodore Orji of Abia.

Others are Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Idris Wada of Kogi, Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State and Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State.

Also in attendance were the acting Governor of Taraba, Garba Umar and the Deputy Governor of Benue, Steven Lawani.

It would be recalled that following last Friday’s election of the NGF, Gov. Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers and Jang of Plateau both laid claim to the chairmanship of the forum.

Amaechi was declared winner of the election with 19 votes to 16 polled by Jang, but loyalists to the Plateau governor faulted the results and declared Jang the winner. (NAN)*