Northern govs forum: Plot to sack Aliyu thickens

There are strong indications that the governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, may soon become another casualty of the ongoing battle for the soul of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
Our correspondent gathered in Abuja on Sunday that there were moves to unseat him as Chairman of the Northern Nigeria Governors Forum.
A   reliable  source  confided in our correspondent that the plot bore the stamp of the Presidency and the ruling People’s Democratic Party.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, said, “There is a plot to remove Dr. Aliyu as the chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum if he does not recognise Governor Jonah Jang as the Chairman of the forum.
“Governors Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina) and Gabriel Suswam (Benue) are the arrow heads of the plot.”
A meeting of northern governors has been scheduled to hold on Thursday.
Special Adviser to the Benue State Governor, Dr. Cletus Akwaya, however, dismissed the allegations made against his principal.
He said, “I can only speak for my Governor. My principal, His Excellency Governor Gabriel Suswam, as you are aware is not in the country.
“My governor left for Japan with the Vice President on May 29th and is still there as we speak. I can’t see how he will be conniving with others to do such a thing.
“He is the Vice Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and if he has any issues with his chairman, he has access to him and he can always take up such issues.
“There is absolutely no true that my governor is involved in any such thing.”
Telephone calls to the media aide of the Katsina State governor, Malam Lawal Matazu, indicated that his telephone set was busy.
He, equally, did not respond to a text message sent to him on the subject.
The source however, said, “The plot by the presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party to deal with Governor Mu’azu Aliyu of Niger State is real, contrary to the tepid denial by presidency that President Jonathan has no hand in the NGF crisis.”
Nigerians, he said, were aware of the crisis  “that engulfed the Nigeria Governors Forum as a fallout of the election which produced Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State as winner.”
Yet-to-be-verified reports indicated that a group of lobbyists had moved to the Niger State House of Assembly to lobby members of the House to move against the governor as plan ‘B.’

Aliyu was a leading figure among the Pro-Amaechi members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum before the NFG election penultimate Friday