The Governor of Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal, has been appointed as the Interim Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).
The news was announced at the national economic council (NEC) meeting on Thursday at the Aso Rock villa in Abuja.
Tambuwal succeeds Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti, who has served as NGF chairman since being sworn in for a second term in office in October 2018.
According to Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, NGF director of media and public affairs, Tambuwal, who was the NGF’s vice-chairman, will serve as interim chairman of the forum until a governors’ election in May 2023.
According to NGF’s statement obtained by BizWatch Nigeria “The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ekiti State Dr John Kayode Fayemi, today at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, held at the Aso Rock Villa Abuja transferred power of the NGF to the Governor of Sokoto State, Rt Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
“Tambuwal has served meritoriously and harmoniously as Vice Chairman of the Forum under Dr Fayemi in the last four years.
“Dr John Kayode Fayemi who was only a few weeks ago elected as the President of the Forum of Regional and State Governments in Saidia in the state of Casablanca in Morrocco attended the NEC virtually from New York City, where he is currently attending the United Nations General Assembly meeting.
“The Sokoto State Governor will be holding fort until May next year when a proper election is conducted among the governors.
“Before making the announcement, the Ekiti State Governor acknowledged the result driven output of the NEC and thanked his colleagues and other members of the council for their support, explaining that yes, we may be occasionally troublesome, coming from the Forum of Governors, and we do test your patience but you have never really expressed any frustration with all our truculent questions and the insistence that the federation must be a true federation.”
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo praised Fayemi for providing “informed and patriotic services to the council over the last four years.”
On October 16, Fayemi will formally handover to Tambuwal.
