Two Peoples Democratic Party governors
nearly came to blows Sunday at a meeting in Abuja called to form a
separate platform for PDP governors, Daily Trust learnt from a reliable
source yesterday.
The source said the formation of the
forum was encouraged by President Godluck Jonathan as a counterpoise to
the Governors Forum whose chairman Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state is
rumoured to nurse an ambition to run in 2015 as vice president to Sule
Lamido of Jigawa state.
According to the source, as soon as
the meeting began Babangida Aliyu of Niger state, an Amaechi partisan,
criticised the need for a PDP governors forum. He argued that the
governors forum engenders unity adding that the ruling party is already
dominant in the forum.
However, Governor Godswill Akpabio of
Akwa Ibom, said to be a Jonathan supporter for 2015, rose to his feet
and challenged Aliyu for opposing the creation of the forum. He said the
decision was taken to set up the forum at a meeting the previous day
where Aliyu was absent, and that he could not therefore oppose it now.
Their exchanges degenerated into harsh
words for each other and they began to inch forward angrily. At this
stage some governors moved forward quickly and came between them, as
they continued to hurl unpleasant words over the heads of those that
separated them.
Finally, the source said, they were
persuaded back to their seats as a few governors moved back and forth to
broker peace. At last they succeeded and they were encouraged to
embrace themselves. They did and the meeting continued.
The source said no election was held
when the meeting ended but PDP Chairman Bamanga Tukur announced to
reporters that Akpabio had been elected chairman.
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