Jonathan Tests Gnvs' Loyalty, Sets Dinner date to Coincide with Amaechi's NGF meeting

In a frantic bid to break the ranks of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), President Goodluck Jonathan has summoned an emergency meeting of all the state governors slated for Wednesday, 8pm at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa. The timing and date for the President’s meeting curiously coincides with a meeting of the NGF called yesterday by its elected Chairman, Rotimi Amaechi scheduled for tomorrow in the Rivers Governor’s lodge, Asokoro, Abuja. This is the first meeting called by Amaechi since his emergence as chairman after last month’s disputed NGF election. Amaechi won 19 votes against 16 clinched by his opponent, Jonah Jang, but the Plateau state governor, with the tacit support of the Presidency and the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), has continued to lay claim to the chairmanship, citing his endorsement by 19 Northern governors, who chose him as their consensus candidate. A Press Officer of the NGF Secretariat, Chidimma Onyenalim, in a notice of the meeting yesterday, said: “There will be a meeting of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Wednesday 26th June, 2013. Time: 8.00pm prompt. Venue: Rivers State Governor’s Lodge, No. 5 Justice Mohammed Bello Street, Asokoro, Abuja.”