The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has asked , Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, coordinating minister of the Economy and minister of Finance, to account for $20 billion oil revenue.
The governors insisted that since funds in the excess crude account were last disbursed in May 2013, there is need for Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to provide explanation for accruals to the account from June 2013 to April 2015, which is estimated at over $20 billion.
The meeting of the Governors Forum was attended by 20 governors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , and was presided over by Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State.
For almost three years, the governors had not sat together for a meeting. They had formed two factions – the PDP Governors Forum and the Progressives Governors Forum.
At yesterday’s meeting also the forum also reconciled its members and reunited once again as a single umbrella association of state governors, regardless of party or region.
Governor Abdullazeez Yari of Zamfara State emerged as its new chairman to replace Governor Chibuike Amaechi through consensus.
Yari will however serve a one-year tenure – May 2015 to May 2016.
The governors also resolved to hold an induction programme sometime in June, for new and returning governors.
The induction is aimed at equipping new and returning governors with knowledge of global best practices in establishing and running their offices.
In addition, the forum resolved to establish a governors’ forum academy to be christened, ‘The NGF Leadership Academy,’ which will be overseen by the NGF secretariats and will be responsible for capacity building of governors and other officials holding public offices.
At the meeting were Governors Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Rauf Aregbosola (Osun), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Ramallan Yero (Kaduna), Saidu Dankigari (Kebbi) and Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta).
The rest are Kashim Shettima (Borno), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Deputy Governor of Kano State and Governor-elect, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Governor-elect of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom, Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Yomi Awoniyi, Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State and his Imo State counterpart.