Suswam Makes U-turn, Surfaces At Northern Govs' Forum

Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State on Monday in Kaduna surfaced at the meeting of the Northern State Governors' Forum against his earlier declaration never to attend the meeting of the forum.

Suswam vowed never to attend the governors' meeting at the peak of the controversy surrounding the election of the Nigerian Governors' Forum, where Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State polled 19 votes against 16 votes polled by Plateau State Governor, Mr. Jonah Jang, in May 2013.

Suswam arrived at the Gen. Hassan Katsina House, Kaduna, venue of the meeting at about 11.19am.

The governor came in a dark Mercedes Benz Sports Utility Vehicle, marked ABC 928 AL, and went straight into the Presidential Lodge, where the governors were scheduled to hold the meeting.

Suswam; his Bauchi and Katsina states counterparts, Issa Yuguda and Ibrahim Shema respectively, had at the wake of the controversial NGF election, which gave rise to two governors' forum factions, vowed never to attend the NSGF meeting.

They alleged betrayal by their colleagues from the region after endorsing the Plateau State governor as the region's consensus candidate.

The result of the election was rejected by some governors believed to be loyal to President Goodluck Jonathan.

As of the time of filing this report, those who had arrived at the Monday meeting of the northern governors, included the governor of Niger State and Chairman of the NSGF, Dr. Babangida Aliyu; Kano State Governor, Musa Kwankwaso, Governor Ahmed Abdulfattah of Kwara State and Usman Dakingari of Kebbi State.

The governors of Jigawa, Gombe, Kogi and Katsina among others were represented by their deputies .

Aliyu, had, while addressing his colleagues, expressed concern with the wanton killings by the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, in some parts of the region, noting that the governors would give the Federal Government the necessary support to end the killings.

Punch.