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Nigerian governors,
at the weekend, donated a sum of N62 million to the family of late Yobe
State governor, Mamman Ali, who died at a United States hospital in
January 2009 after a prolonged battle with leukaemia.

The governors,under
the umbrella of Nigeria Governors’ Forum ,according to a press
statement signed by its Director General, Assishana Okauru asked its
Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, to hand
over the money.

The money was
subsequently presented to the family of the late governor in a brief
ceremony at the Kwara State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja.

Accompanied by a
member of the State House of Assembly, the brother to the late governor
and Yobe State Deputy Governor, Abubakar Ali, who represented both the
state and his brother’s family at the event, thanked the group and
promised that the money would be used for the upkeep of the family left
behind.

“Mr. Saraki prayed
for the repose of the soul of the late governor, who he described as a
committed member of the NGF and a patriotic Nigerian who served his
state and country well during the 51 (fifty-one) years he lived on
earth,” the NGF statement said.

“Immediately Ali
died, a decision was taken by the NGF to stand by his family and make
moral and financial contributions to them.” He explained that the
donation was made by every member of the NGF (excluding Yobe State) as
a token contribution to the welfare and upkeep of the family members
left behind.

The forums’ secretariat however states that the N62 million
represented the contribution from 31 states received to date, who each
contributed N2 million to the fund. Once the balance is received from
the remaining four states, their contributions would also be sent to
the late Governor’s estate, Mr Okauru said.