* Suswan, others apologise

* As Fashola heads 6-man Committee to come up with a new Chairman

* I accept the decision of members, I may not vie, Daniel

By Henry Umoru

ABUJA- THE unfolding political quagmire in the family of the governors of the thirty-six States of the Federation was yesterday nipped in the bud, with the governors unanimously rejecting the Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel who was last week named the Chairman of the forum and asked the Chairman of the Forum, Dr. Bukola Saraki of Kwara state to continue.

Rising from a meeting held at the Kwara State Governor’s lodge, Asokoro, the governors agreed in unison that the status quo remains with the Chairman and Kwara State governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki remaining the authentic chairman of the Forum.

Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswan and others who organized the meeting where Daniel was chosen as the Chairman of the forum were asked to apologise to members of the forum which they did.

Reading a Communiqué to Journalists at the end of the meeting, the Chairman of the Forum and a Presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Bukola Saraki disclosed that the Forum set up a six-member Committee with the governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola to,  in the next three weeks, look into the succession issue, tenure of chairman, transition arrangements, among others, with a view to preparing the body for the election of a new leader.

Other members of the Fashola’s Committee are the governors of Sokoto, Niger, Delta, Borno and Enugu states.

Gov Gbenga Daniel

Part of the Communiqué read, “We the Executive Governors of the 36 States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, at our meeting held on November 3, 2010 at the Kwara State Governor’s Lodge under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum deliberated over a variety of issues:

“The forum formally welcomed the new Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi. Following the Chairman’s brief and after exhaustive discussions around the issue of leadership, the Forum resolved that there was no change in the leadership of the Forum. Members resolved that for now the Chairman will continue.

“Those members who were involved in the purported meeting that took place regretted their action and the forum accepted their apology. The Forum also agreed to set up a Committee of six members headed by the governor of Lagos State into issues of succession, tenure of Chairman, transition arrangements etc. Other members of the committee are the governors of Niger, Benue, Sokoto, Borno and Enugu States.”

While condemning the October 1st Abuja bomb explosions and other acts of terrorism and violence in the country, the governors however urged the  federal government, to bring to book, as a matter of urgency, all those involved in the act.

Answering questions from Journalists at the end of the meeting, the Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel said, “I am satisfied because it was unanimous, we expect a properly reorganized election in the Forum, we are very happy about it”.

On what will happen if he is not the Chairman, he said, “I didn’t vie before, I was nominated”

On whether he would contest, he said, “I am not so sure”

Present at the meeting were governors of Kaduna, Rivers, Delta, Edo; Adamawa, Kwara; Enugu; Bauchi; Sokoto; Ogun; Plateau, Osun, Kogi, and Ekiti.

Others were governors of Benue, Niger, Nasarawa, AkwaIbom, Ondo, Lagos; Jigawa; Taraba; Borno, Zamfara with deputy governors of Yobe, Oyo and Kano.