The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) has dropped governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State from a group of governors that are expected to take off tonight to London on a visit to recuperating President Muhammadu Buhari.
Briefing news men today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Presidency’s spokesmen: Femi Adesina, Garba Shehu and Laolu Akande would not know why the name of governor Fayose was not included in the list.
Curious news men asked the trio why governor Fayose who has been vocal on this issue not on the delegation of those going to visit the President to which the spokesmen responded: “the selection was by the governors forum and you will see that the delegation is headed by governor Yari who is chairman of that forum. So that question should go to the forum.” They gave the names of those who made the list as
the governor of Zamfara State, who is the chairman of the governors forum: the governors of Ebonyi state, Dave Umahi; Kano state, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje; Borno state, Kassim Shettima; Benue state, Samuel Ortom; Akwa Ibom state, Udom Emmanuel and Oyo state, Abiola Ajumobi.
The spokesmen said that the delegation would leave by tonight and arrive the U.K. early morning of tomorrow (Wednesday), adding that they would have meeting with Buhari by 3 pm tomorrow (Wednesday).
They said that this visit is a follow-up to the one made on Sunday by governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo state, Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa state, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state, Yahaya Bello of Kogi state and the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The spokesmen said that the series of visits are for goodwill “and there is nothing more than that. I believe Nigerians in various position have yearned to go and meet the president and at some point, this obviously has not been permitted. As a cultural people, we visit people leaving hospital and I’m sure the president himself will be delighted to see people coming from the six geo-political zones to convey the goodwill of Nigerians.
The spokesmen explained that the governors who visited the President on Sunday did so purely as APC governors, whereas the one being undertaken now cut across party lines.
On why none of the spokesmen was on the entourage to London, they said: “probably we will be saving money. Let me tell you, you know I have respects for photographers. We all do and the cameraman, Bayo Omoboriwo is on the flight which is more important than us being there. They say a picture conveys more than a thousand words: Bayo will be there and I think it will be more beneficial to Nigerians than if the Special Adviser was on that trip without a cameraman.”
On whether the ministers designate are going to be sworn in soon, they said: “the ministers will be sworn in soon; sooner than you think it will happen.”
On whether there will be cabinet reshufflement when he returns, the Presidential spokesmen said that the President is the head of the government and that he has the prerogative to reshuffle the cabinet: “so nobody can speak for him on that.” [myad]
