NGF Elections!

This weekend, Mr, Gabriel Suswam, the Governor of Benue State, informed the general public that Otunba Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State is the new Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF). This (according to the report) became necessary because the Mr. Bukola Saraki intends to contest as President of Nigeria in the 2011 election. Mr. Suswam added that Saraki is distracted and he has not been able tocomment on National issues such as the bomb blast that rocked Abuja during the Independence Celebration on October 1, 2010.

Mr. Suswam said Gbenga Daniel was unanimously elected by consensus by all the members of the group.

Meanwhile, from the reactions of some other Governors who are also members of the NGF, there was no meeting or election properly so called! In his words, Mr. Shekaru of Kano State said “To the best of my knowledge, there was never a meeting where a decision to appoint a new chairman of the forum was reached.” Mr. Shekaru added that the NGF is not entirely a PDP affair.

Another dissenting voice was Commrade Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State. Oshiomole dismissed the claim that any meeting was held where the decision was taken to appoint/elect Mr. Daniel as Chairman. Oshiomole explained that some PDP Governors (not all Governors) met at Mr. Gbenga Daniel’s lodge and these Governors purportedly elected Mr. Daniel as its new Chairman.

Mr. Osiomole however added that a meeting of the NGF would be held on Wednesday November 3, 2010. At this meeting, a new Chairman would be elected.

As a concerned citizen of this great Nation Nigeria, I feel it is rather unfortunate that these Governors would start to bicker amongst themselves. If the NGF cannot conduct a free and fair election to choose a Chairman, how can they be found preaching "free and fair" elections for the Nation in 2011?