Mimiko emerged as Chairman of the Forum at a meeting held last Tuesday night and attended by only six of the party’s 12 governors, while only two deputies represented their principals.
A dependable source within the party told Daily Independent that a particular governor from the South (name withheld) is leading the revolt against the emergence of Mimiko as Chairman of the PDPGF. The aggrieved governor has petitioned the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) over the issue.
The same governor, our source noted, has not attended any of the two meetings of the PDPGF held this year just as he was also absent at the meeting where Mimiko emerged as Chairman of the forum. He was also not represented by at the parley.
The meeting of the PDPGF has been slated for today to address some pressing issues, and it was gathered that the NWC might use the opportunity of the meeting to hold a reconciliatory meeting with the governors, if only to quell the budding crisis.
However, some of the governors in attendance at last week’s meeting insist that the emergence of Mimiko as chairman of the group followed a proper process as the notice of the meeting at which he emerged, was properly circulated.Those who stayed away, it was gathered did so because of pressing issues in their states, while two, who did not want to miss out totally at the meeting sent their deputies.
But those protesting against Mimiko have countered, insisting that his emergence did not follow due process, besides the fact that he is relatively new in the party, having just defected back to the PDP fold a few months ago from the Labour Party.
Governors at the meeting included: Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Capt. Idris Wada (Kogi), Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Darius Ishaku (Taraba).
Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, Rear Admiral John Jonah, represented the governor, while Governors Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe; Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State; Nyesome Wike of Rivers; Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta; and Professor Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers were absent.
The first chairman of the forum, Former Gov Godswill Akpabio, a die-hard supporter of former President Jonathan gave the forum teeth, while he held sway as head of the group created essentially to rival the then Governor Rotimi Ameachi of River State who was Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, which gave the then president, tough time.
Attempts to get the comments of National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, on Sunday were not successful.
But a member of the party’s NWC who craved anonymity, confirmed receipt of the petition, but assured that it was a minor issue that cannot cause any problem for the party.
The source expressed confidence that the party would only appeal to the aggrieved governors to close ranks in the general interest of the PDP, adding that the NWC cannot call for the removal of Mimiko to satisfy any interest, as the NWC lacks the power to do so. Moreover, he added, the NWC did not choose Mimiko in the first place, adding that it was the governors themselves who did.
-Daily Independent
