By Kingsley Omonobi
ABUJA—AHEAD of the next meeting of Governors of the 36 states of the federation in Abuja to deliberate and choose the new Chairman of the Governors Forum, Vanguard can report authoritatively that two governors, Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun State and Danjuma Goje of Gombe State, have been shortlisted for the position.

The disclosure emerged just as it was learnt that the uproar and opposition to the emergence of Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel, as successor to Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State, was rejected because the governors felt it would have been an imposition from the Presidency.

Impeccable sources told Vanguard that the ad-hoc committee of six governors set up by the Forum to choose Governor Saraki’s successor, was working on the rational that the next Chairman of the Governors Forum should be one whose second term tenure would be his last in 2011 hence the short listing of Governor Oyinlola and Danjuma Goje for the position.

While noting that Governor Gbenga Daniel had not been totally ruled out, the source said that Governor Gabriel Suswam’s choice and the manner he and a clique went about selecting and imposing the Ogun State governor, really annoyed other governors.

The source said: “If you really look at it, the question can be asked: What is the pedigree of Governor Suswam, compared to some of the senior, more experienced and elderly governors, that he should be the one calling the shots and trying to tell us what to do?

“Another message being sent across to the brains behind this insulting action is that advisers of the Presidency should know that some of the things or advises they are giving are not going down well with many of the governors and that there are consequences if they continue with such undermining tactics.”

Asked what other criteria would be taken into consideration in arriving at the choice of the next Chairman of the forum, the source said, maturity, pedigree, acceptability among the governors and one who would not be looked down on by the presidency.”