Borno State's Kashim Shettima elected new chair of Northern Nigerian Governors’ Forum

BORNO State governor Kashim Shettima has been elected as the new chairman of the Northern Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NNGF) replacing Governor Aliyu Babangida of Niger State whose tenure ends this month.

 

At a meeting held yesterday to elect new officials of the body ahead of the May 29 change of government, the NNGF also elected Kano State governor-elect Abdullahi Ganduje, as its new vice chairman. Highly influential, the 19-member NNGF serves as an advisory body, seeking to represent northern interests in government.

 

During yesterday's meeting which held at the Niger State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, the NNGF also agreed to intervene in the lingering crisis in the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) by uniting the Governor Rotimi Amaechi-led NGF and the one led by Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang. Governor Aliyu said the northern governors were determined to mediate in order to unite governors across party lines for the development of the nation.

 

He explained that the northern governors resolved among other things, to address the Boko Haram insurgency in the north and to tackle the problems of poverty, marginalisation and unemployment. According to Governor Aliyu, the forum was also working with the office of the vice president Namadi Sambo, to revive some companies in northern Nigeria.

 

In his acceptance speech, Governor Shettima assured northerners that under his leadership, the governors would unite against the war against the Boko Haram sect. He also promised to work together with his colleagues irrespective of religious, ethnic or political affiliation, to confront the challenges confronting the north.

 

Governors who attended the meeting include Governors Ibrahim Dakwambo of Gombe, Bala Ngilari of Adamawa,  Muktar Yero of Kaduna, Aliyu Babangida of Niger, Gabriel Suswam of  Benue, Ahmed Abdulfatai of  Kwara, Shettima of Borno, Abdul’Aziz Yari of Zamfara and Isa Yuguda of Bauchi. It was agreed that the new leadership will be inaugurated either in June or July, with all former governors of northern extraction expected to be in attendance.

 

Also yesterday, the NGF appeared to recognise Governor Amaechi as its chairman having won the 2013 elections. In 2013, the NGF was split into two factions after Governor Amaechi was elected as its chairman but the presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party high command refused to recognise the result.