Sokoto State Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal is the new Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF). He succeeds the outgoing Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, whose second term in the state ends on 16th October.
Tambuwal who has been the body’s Vice Chairman in the last four years, will however hold the chairmanship for the remaining eight months of his own second term as governor.
Fayemi transferred power to Tambuwal on Thursday at the National Economic Council meeting, held at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
A statement by NGF’s Director of Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo reads: “Tambuwal has served meritoriously and harmoniously as Vice Chairman of the Forum under Dr Fayemi in the last four years.
“Dr John Kayode Fayemi who was only a few weeks ago elected as the President of the Forum of Regional and State Governments in Saidia in the state of Casablanca in Morocco attended the NEC virtually from New York City, where he is currently attending the United Nations General Assembly meeting.
“The Sokoto State Governor will be holding fort until May next year when a proper election is conducted among the governors.
“Before making the announcement, the Ekiti State Governor acknowledged the result-driven output of the NEC and thanked his colleagues and other members of the council for their support, explaining that ‘yes, we may be occasionally troublesome, coming from the Forum of Governors, and we do test your patience but you have never really expressed any frustration with all our truculent questions and the insistence that the federation must be a true federation’.
“The new President of the FORAF also did not forget to thank the Secretariat of the NEC and, through the NEC, thanked the President and Commander in Chief of the country for taking the resolutions of the NEC seriously by implementing them.
“In his response the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo said the NGF chairman had taken the wind out of their sail, because he was meant to, on behalf of the NEC, commend the Ekiti Governor and NGF Chairman’s informed and patriotic services to the council in the last four years and that was enhanced by your chairmanship of the NGF, admitting that the NGF has ensured that we move to a true federation, not just in words but in deeds as well.
“Prof. Osinbajo prayed that Dr Fayemi’s services both nationally and globally to development, and to all of the good which the nation deserves and the global community deserves will continue.
“Dr Fayemi formally hands over the Chairmanship of the NGF to Rt. Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal on the October 16th”.
