It’s North’s turn to preside over NGF – Yuguda

The crisis plaguing the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, took a different dimension Tuesday with the Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, claiming that it was the turn of the north to head the  the forum.
Yuguda, who spoke exclusively to Vanguard, maintained that it was therefore wrong for the disputed election to have been held in the first place, when the 19 northern governors had earlier decided on a consensus candidate.
“You can see that the need for election did not arise in the first place given the fact that we the governors of the north, who are in the majority, had chosen a consensus candidate before the election,” Yuguda said.
“Why could the northern governors agree to go for voting when we knew we had the majority and had selected our chairman by consensus?”he asked.
The governor, who defended his decision not to be part of the Northern Governors’ Forum until further notice, specifically challenged his Niger State counterpart and chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, to address the nation on the agreement reached by the forum on the candidature of Governor David Jang before the controversial vote.
According to Yuguda, it was Aliyu, who presided over the meeting that ordered him and his Katsina state counterpart, Ibrahim Shema, to stand down for Jang.
Yuguda made it clear that while he was not angry with the Niger State Governor, he should however summon the courage to explain to Nigerians what roles he played that culminated in the emergence of Jang as the consensus candidate of the forum.
“My only request is for the Chief Servant of Niger State to address the nation on what was agreed by all of us at the meeting of the northern governors after which, we proceeded to present our position to the chairman of the People’s Democratic Party Governors Forum on May 24.
“If he( Aliyu) tells the world that we decided on on presenting Governor Jang for adoption and not for election, then I will return to the Northern Governors Forum.
“But if that is not done, I will never be part of the forum for the remaining two years of my governorship. I cannot continue to part of an association that takes a decision they cannot come out to defend.
“Look, let me tell you, I am not into politics to betray and deceive people because I am not ready to go to hell,” the governor explained.
“If northern governors forum or the Nigerian governors forum cannot tell the simple truth, then my membership is not worth it,” he added, claiming that his decision to opt of the group is personal and not influenced by any individual or group.
He revealed that he had earlier been nominated as a consensus candidate from the north for the NGF election at a meeting hosted by the Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam in Abuja but had to stand down when the majority decided in favour of Jang.
On the allegation that he had been planted by the Presidency to destabilise the Northern Governors Forum and weaken Babangida Aliyu’s position, Yuguda denied ever being contacted by jonathan or his aide to carry out such a devious task.
While pleading with Nigerians to leave Jonathan out of the NGF politics, the governor stated that the President was not involved in the crisis of the forum.
He said,”In 2011, Jonathan won over 25 percent of the total votes cast in 33 states of the Federation. At that time the President did not use any Northern governor to cause trouble. Now, what is the sense in planting Isa Yuguda to destabilise the Northern Governors Forum?he asked.
“Any person making such wild and unverified allegation should have his head examined by a psychiatrist,” the governor said.