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The 36 state
governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors Forum will meet
tonight in Abuja to discuss some national issues, including the ongoing
amendment to the Electoral Act. The governors may also pick a new
chairman to replace Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State, who declared
his intention, two months ago, to run for the presidency.

The meeting, which
is scheduled to hold at the Kwara State Governors Lodge, Asokoro
District of Abuja, will be preceded by that of the Northern Governors
Forum. The northern governors, who shifted their meeting from their
traditional venue in Kaduna to Abuja will meet this morning.

However, the
governors elected on the Peoples Democratic Party met last night ahead
of the National Executive Committee meeting tomorrow in Abuja.

The PDP NEC meeting
is reportedly scheduled to ratify the recommendations of the National
Working Committee and other organs of the party on the timetable and
guidelines for the primaries. The National Working Committee, Board of
Trustees and the National Caucus of the party had cancelled staggered
presidential primary elections and opted for a one-day convention
billed for Eagle Square in Abuja.

Although, its
agenda was not clear, it was gathered that the amendment to the
Electoral Act 2010, the PDP timetable/guidelines, topped the agenda.
The governors were said to have opposed staggered primaries adopted by
the PDP leadership and may present the same to NEC. NEXT also learnt
that the plan by the National Assembly to amend Section 72 to include
members of the National Assembly as members of the NEC of the party,
would be discussed. The governors are allegedly opposed to the
amendment because, according to sources, it would remove the power base
from them to the federal lawmakers.

Nothing on chairmanship

When contacted last
night, the director-general of the NGF, Asishana Bayo Okauru, confirmed
that the three meetings will hold, but noted that he was only concerned
with the meeting of the 36 state governors, which comes up tonight.

According to him,
the 36 governors will discuss the Electoral Act and two other issues,
which he did not mention. He said that the meeting begins at 8pm. On
the election of a new chairman for the NGF, Mr. Okauru also confirmed
that the forum will look at the report submitted by the Babatunde
Fashola Panel, which was constituted last month to set rules for the
election of a chairman.

“I doubt if a new chairman will be picked,” he said in a telephone
chat last night. “You know Fashola committee submitted its report but
it could not be discussed last week because of the death of Governor
Adams Oshiomhole’s wife. The report will be discussed alongside two
other issues. The new NGF chairman will not emerge because they were
not asked to pick a chairman but to set rules for the purpose because
such situation had never arisen before. The rules will be looked into.”