Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state has been elected as the new chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF).
NGF also elected his Sokoto state counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal, as the Deputy Chairman.
Fayemi’s election was a unanimous one as he emerged through a consensus.
He was nominated by Governor Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna state and seconded by Delta state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa.
The outgoing Chairman of the Forum, Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar of Zamfara state who read a communiqué at the end of the meeting said NFIU guidelines is detrimental to the interest of states and local governments.
He said: the Forum unanimously elected Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state as the new Chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum from 2019-2021.
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“Members also elected Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of State as Vice Chairman of the Forum from 2019 -2021.”
Tambuwal, he said was nominated by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos and seconded by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state.
Yari also noted that the Forum discussed the country’ security situation saying that “Governors resolved to hold a meeting with Mr. President to find real and effective solutions to the security challenges facing the country.”
On the NFIU, he said: “the Forum is concerned with recent guidelines of the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) which seek to impose restriction on the powers of states and Local Governments to operate within constitutionally approved parameters.
“The new guidelines have no legal basis under the NFIU Act and are contrary to constitutional provisions”.
In his response, Fayemi expressed delight and accepted responsibility.
He said himself and his deputy will build on the achievement of their successors.
Besides, he said they will work in partnership with other arms of government and partners for the benefit of the country.
Meanwhile, prior to the election, the Bayelsa State Governor and Chairman of the South-South Governors Forum, Seriake Dickson had called on the 36 governors to adopt the principle of rotation of power to pick a new leader for the NGF.
In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, the governor noted that the decision on who should be the next NGF chairman should be guided by the time-tested principle of rotation between the North and the South.
The governor said the next NGF chairman should come from the south after the end of the tenure of the immediate past chairman, Yari, governor of Zamfara state.
Fayemi election seems to go in line with Gov. Dickson suggestion as the NGF Chair still falls within the south zones.
Samson Oyedeyi
