The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has announced Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state as its interim chairman.

Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, spokesman of the NGF, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.

Mr Bello-Barkindo disclosed that the forum chairman Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State transferred power of the NGF to Mr Tambuwal at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held at the Aso Rock Villa Abuja.

“Tambuwal has served meritoriously and harmoniously as Vice Chairman of the Forum under Dr Fayemi in the last four years.

“Fayemi who was only a few weeks ago elected as the President of the Forum of Regional and State Governments in Saidia in the state of Casablanca in Morocco attended the NEC virtually from New York City, where he is currently attending the United Nations General Assembly meeting.

“The Sokoto State Governor will be holding fort until May 2023 when a proper election is conducted among the governors,” Mr Bello-Barkindo said.

He quoted Mr Fayemi before making the announcement as acknowledging the result driven output of the NEC and thanked his colleagues and other members of the council for their support.

“Yes, we may occasionally be troublesome, coming from the forum of governors, and we do test your patience but you have never really expressed any frustration with all our truculent questions and the insistence that the federation must be a true federation,” Mr Fayemi said.

The new President of the FORAF also did not forget to thank the secretariat of the NEC and through the NEC thanked the President and Commander in Chief of the Country for taking the resolutions of the NEC seriously by implementing them.

In his response, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the NGF chairman had taken the wind out of their sail, because he was “meant to, on behalf of the NEC, commend Mr Fayemi’s informed and patriotic services to the council in the last four years.

The service according to Mr Osinbajo was enhanced by Mr Fayemi’s chairmanship of the NGF.

“The NGF has ensured that we move to a true federation, not just in words but in deeds as well,” Mr Osinbajo said.

The vice president prayed that Mr Fayemi’s services both nationally and globally to development, and to all of the good which the nation deserves and the global community deserves would continue.

Mr Fayemi is expected to formally hand over the chairmanship of the NGF to Tambuwal on October 16.

(NAN)