The governors of the 19 northern states under the aegis of the Northern Governors’ Forum, on Monday, elected the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, as the group’s new chairman.
Shettima replaces the outgoing Governor of Niger State, Aliyu Babangida, whose tenure ends this month.
The Kano State governor-elect, Abdullahi Ganduje, also emerged as the vice chairman of the forum.
This decision was reached at the end of a meeting of the Northern Governors’ Forum held at the Niger State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.
Speaking after the closed door meeting, Aliyu said the northern governors were determined to mediate in order to unite governors across party lines for the development of the nation.
Aliyu said, “The goal is to mediate and unite the Nigerian Governors’ Forum that has been fragmented in the past few years.”
He explained that the northern governors resolved among other things, to address the Boko Haram insurgency in the North, tackle the problems of poverty, marginalisation and unemployment.
Aliyu also disclosed that the forum was also working with the office of the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, to revive some companies in the North.
In his acceptance speech, Shettima assured northerners that under his leadership, the governors would unite against the war against the Boko Haram sect.
He also promised to work together with his colleagues irrespective of religious, ethnic or political affiliation, to confront the challenges confronting the North.
Those who attended the meeting include Governors Ibrahim Dakwambo, Gombe; Bala Ngilari, Adamawa; Muktar Yero, Kaduna; Aliyu Babangida, Niger; Gabriel Suswam, Benue; Ahmed Abdulfatah, Kwara; Shettima, Borno; Abdul’aziz Yari, Zamfara; and Isa Yuguda, Bauchi.
The governors-elect of Kano and Kogi states also attended the meeting.
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