By Yomi Ade
After successfully defeating his opponents to become the Vice-Chairman of Nigeria’s Governors Forum, Engineer Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State is on his way to be elected as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum.
A reliable source at the secretariat of NGF told Midwest Herald that, the forum will settle for a unifier and an amenable person.
“Our party is passing through a phase at the national level and in different states. So the person we need now is a unifier who his colleagues will easily accept.
“That person must be open to views of his brother governors and be seen to have control of strategic session of all geopolitical zones.”
The source added that, “…with Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president, the leadership of PDP governors forum must be such that can galvanise Nigerians to demand for true democracy.”
Midwest Herald gathered that two southern governors have indicated interest and both contested for the NGF seat.
The governors, Makinde and the another governor from South-South who insiders said also contested surreptitiously for the NGF Vice Chairmanship position that Makinde won.
“With the assistance of Governor Nyesom Wike and his G5, it was a work-over victory for Makinde.” The source said.
In attempt to reduce the influence of the G5 Governors, in the election of chairman and vice of PDP Governors Forum, the election has been postponed till later date.
The intervention may be too late as most of the PDP governors have decided on Makinde who they believe will use his influence as vice chairman of NGF to stabilise their forum.
On his way to victory as vice chairman, close source disclosed that Makinde got all the support of the APC governors as well as the backing of the PDP G-5 governors which made it a lost battle for the candidate of Atiku Abubakar’s camp.
Reports says that, before the meeting, there were moves by some pro-Atiku Abubakar governors to nominate a governor from South-South for the position.
The underground political battle with Nyesom Wike and G5 continued at the NGF meeting, so much so that, Makinde vs the governor from South-South contest was clearly going to be a no-contest.
Most of the APC governors at the venue of the election supported Makinde and his G5, while two PDP governors also jettisoned Atiku Abubakar’s camp.
It became glaring that the remaining pro-Atiku governors were fighting a lost battle. “So they quietly jettisoned their move,” Midwest Herald learnt.