NGF Crisis: Amaechi and Oshiomhole taunts Jonah Jang at the NEC meeting

The Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, venue of the monthly National Economic Council meeting was momentarily turned into a theatre hall, yesterday, as both Governors Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Jonah Jang of Plateau State who are both laying claims to chairmanship of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, met for the first time after the disputed NGF election.

Governor Rotimi Amaechi who polled 19 votes at the election of the governors forum to Jonah Jang’s 16 came into the council chamber to realize that his seat was beside Jang’s.

As soon as the two governors entered the council chamber, a mild drama played out shortly before the commencement of the meeting when supporters of Governor Amaechi tried to drag Governor Jonah Jang to where Amaechi was standing to pay ‘homage’ to the Rivers State governor.

Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Niger State, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, a staunch supporter of Amaechi drew Amaechi’s attention to the sitting arrangement when he asked the Rivers State governor, “so you are going to sit with Jang. This is very nice oh. Somebody is trying to be diplomatic here.”

Governor Amaechi who had earlier noticed the sitting arrangement replied: “We are still together. So, I am going to sit with him. The authentic and the fake chairman“ he said to loud laughter from those governors present.

Jang walked in, shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with his colleagues, including Amaechi. After being told he was to sit beside Amaechi, he did and Amaechi accepted his greetings, saying: “You are welcome, I am the authentic chairman.”

Jang didn’t respond and both governors sat without saying anything to each other for a while before other people came into the picture.

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole who noticed the arrangement, held Jang’s hand and pointed to Amaechi, saying “that is my chairman” and said to Jang: “This is PDP faction chairman”. This drew laughter from those present.

It is the first time that the governors would meet in the same hall after the controversial election of the NGF that produced two chairmen.