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In a story that vindicates the exclusive report by News Express on the outcome of today’s election of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, 19 out of the country’s 36 governors have come out to declare that they voted for Governor David Jang of Plateau State and not erstwhile chairman, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, who was seeking a second term.
“I am happy to announce that we have a new Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and he is His Excellency, Governor David Jang of Plateau State,” said Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State at a media briefing held this evening in Abuja.
He accused Amaechi of making a false claim of victory and went ahead to produce a document showing that 19 Governors voted for Jang as the new NGF Chairman. Below is the content of the two-page document dated May 24, 2013, which bore the names, states and signatures of the pro-Jang Governors:
RESOLUTION OF NIGERIAN GOVERNORS
We the undersigned Governors of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) having taken cognizance of the state of of the Nation and the perception of the Nigerian people, do hereby resolve as follws:
1. That we thank the outgoing Chairman, His Excellency, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, Governor of Rivers State for his leadership and achievements.
2. That we strongly agree for a change of leadership of the Forum from May 2013 to May 2015.
3. We hereby therefore elect His Excellency JONAH JANG of PLATEAU STATE as the new Chairman of the Forum.
Signed:
1. Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom)
2. Dankwmbo F. H. (Gombe)
3. H. S. Dickson, Esq. (Bayelsa)
4. Garba Umar (Taraba)
5. Suswam Gabriel (Benue)
6. Mr. Peter Obi (Anambra)
7. Idris I. Wada (Kogi)
8. Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo)
9. Jonah D. Jang (Plateau)
10. Muktar R. Yero (Kaduna)
11. Sullivan I. Chime (Enugu)
12. Martin N. Elechi (Ebonyi)
13. Isa Yuguda (Bauchi)
14. Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta)
15. T. A. Orji (Abia
16. Ibrahim S. Shema (Katsina)
17. Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe)
18. Liyel Imoke (Cross River)
19. Dr. AbdulFatah Ahmed (Kwara)