Thirteen female members of the incumbent administration’s cabinet, led
by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke,
Wednesday hosted President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice-President Namadi
Sambo, their colleagues and other top government functionaries to a
dinner to celebrate the achievements of the federal government two
years after its inception.
The occasion which was held at the Banquet Hall of the State House,
Abuja was attended by the Presidents of Malawi, Mrs. Joyce Banda, and
Liberia, Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
Also at the function was former Ghanaian President, John Kufour and
from Zimbabwe came the Deputy Prime Minister, Arthur Mutambara
The colourful dinner was also a reconciliation point of some sort as
the embattled Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF),
Chibuike Amaechi, and a host of his supporters in the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP)- Sule Lamido, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; and the
opposition: Babatunde Fashola and 15 others graced the occasion.
Amaechi, denying there was any crack in the NGF, said he was in Abuja
for its meeting and decided to honour the president’s invitation for
the dinner.
“Was NGF sick? I don’t know about factions. We are holding NGF meeting
and we agreed that those of us who were there should honour the
president and attend the dinner. We have attended. You saw all of
them. Some have left and I am leaving too,” he said.
On whether he informed Jang that they had a meeting, Amaechi
interjected and said he was invited, quickly observing that: “What is
my business if he is not there? 16 to 19. Are you not a Nigerian? 16
governors voted for him, 19 governors voted for me. If he does not
accept the 19, he is undemocratic.”
“Anybody who supports him, including television houses, are also
undemocratic. I have said it in a statement that if at any point in
time we cannot uphold what 19 governors said, then we should be afraid
of 2015,” the governor predicted.
He said: “If the PDP is suspending me for that reason, then it is too
bad. We must learn to be democratic. I am not aware that the party has
given any reason for suspending me, if that is the reason, too bad.
The party is yet to give any reason for my suspension. I am not aware
that the party suspended me for winning an election,” he said.
On the way out of the crisis, Amaechi referred reporters to his
opponent, Jang, and his supporters. “That is the question to ask Jang
and those who are supporting him. Those with me are in majority,” he
said.
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