Governors’ Forums

By Ishaka Mohammed

The Northern States Governors’ Forum, under the chairmanship of Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahya of Gombe State, has donated 180 million naira to support the victims of the accidental bombing in Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

This was part of the resolutions adopted at the inaugural meeting of the Forum under the new administration. 

At the meeting held in Kaduna on Friday, December 15, 2023, the Forum commiserated with the government and people of Kaduna State over the accidental bombing by the Nigerian Army, which killed over 100 people and injured scores of others earlier this month.

The Forum commended both the Kaduna State Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria over the handling of the situation while promising to ensure a full investigation into the incident.

“The Forum resolved to to work collectively to ensure that the tragic incidence [sic] is thoroughly investigated with a view to compensating victims and taking corrective measures to prevent future occurrence,” part of the statement signed by the chairman reads.

Earlier, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had directed a full-fledged investigation into the incident. Also, Vice President Kashim Shettima, accompanied by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajuddeen; Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; and the APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; had visited Kaduna to console the survivors as well as the families of the dead victims of the bombing.

The incident has generated a lot of reactions from the Muslim faithful, who continue to demand in-depth investigations and adequate compensation.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has been summoned by the 36 state governors in relation to the withdrawal policy and the repainted naira notes.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, which embodies the governors, said on Tuesday that the scheduled meeting would take place on Thursday through its spokesperson, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo.

Recall that Nigerians were instructed to deposit their old notes in banks by January 31, 2023, under the CBN’s naira redesign programme, which was implemented in October 2022 of last year.

The spokesperson noted that the virtual meeting would concentrate on the most recent apex bank withdrawal policy and currency redesign.

“For the virtual meeting, the agenda is the Economic and Security implications of naira redesign and withdrawal policy.

“The discussion promises to foster involvement and dialogue among various stakeholders, including governments and civil society organisations, to devise a solution to the lingering issue,” he said.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Northern governors of the All Progressives Congress, APC, have backed the transfer of power to Southern Nigeria.

The governors made this known in Abuja on Saturday, June 4, 2022, after a meeting.

The eleven governors who voted in favour of the decision include: Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina, Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger, Abdullahi A. Sule of Nasarawa, Prof B.G Umara Zulum of Borno, Mal. Nasir Elrufai of Kaduna, Muhammad Inuwa Yahya of Gombe, Bello B. Matawalle of Zamfara State, Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau, Dr A.U Ganduje of Kano, Senator Abubakar Atiku Baguda of Kebi State and the former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aliyu Wammako.

The governors believed the decision was taken in the best interest of the country.

“APC governors and political leaders from the northern states of Nigeria today met to review the political situation and to further support our party in providing progressive leadership amidst our national challenges.

“During our discussions, we welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari’s invitation to governors and other stakeholders to contribute to the emergence of a strong presidential candidate for the APC.

“After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in office of President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria.

“It is a question of honour for the APC, an obligation that is not in anyway affected by the decisions taken by another political party. We affirm that upholding this principle is in the best interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country,” the communique reads in part.

They also urged presidential aspirants from North to withdraw from the race on the ruling party’s platform. Consequent of their decision, Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru has withdrawn from the race.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahya Bello, hosts the Vice President of Liberia, Dr Jewel Cianeh Taylor at his Abuja residence on Sunday. 

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onogwu Muhammad, disclosed this in a Facebook post. 

According to him, the governor is in Abuja to attend the Progressive Governor’s forum meeting, which is to hold this evening.

He also noted that the governor attended a dinner organized by the female members of his administration in honour of Liberia’s Vice President.

By Abubakar Ibrahim

Those looking for devolution of powers to make the states more powerful than the centre had forgotten about history.

The Soviet Union (USSSR) collapsed when it gave more powers to its states.

Nigeria government has given Governors’ clubs (governors forum; southern governors forum, northern Governors forum, etc.) leverage to the extent that they are now flaunting executive orders.

No governor obeyed the executive order to give monthly allocation directly to local government councils, legislature and judiciary in their respective states.

The antics of southern governors, especially of Rivers, Lagos and Ogun, will send Nigeria to its waterloo.

Governors forums have made them act as devils instead of angels. They have frustrated the inflow of funds to LGAs, state legislatures and judiciary. They have refused to pay the correct minimum wage.

Governors forums have done more harm than good. They are only good at wasting state resources in crisis, crossing the skies in charted flights attending their meetings at various locations. The worst scenario is they will leave their states at the mercy of nobody. Hence, this stagnates work until they are back.

It is time for these unproductive governors forums to be abolished. We like to see state governors behaving like former governors with integrity, people like late Governor Jakande, who had never travelled outside Nigeria and never run away from his state responsibilities throughout his tenure.

Governors like Audu Bako, through under a military regime, would only travel out to bring back goodies for the ordinary person, such as “irrigation schemes” that Kano people are still benefiting from after all these long years. It is a legacy he left behind.

Nigerians should come back from supporting politicians who are only good at building themselves and championing the course of disintegration.

Abubakar Ibrahim can be contacted via ai869802@gmail.com.