Akpabio Urges Jonathan To Sack Governors Nyako, Geidam, Shettima

Akwa Ibom Governor Godswill Akpabio urged President Goodluck Jonathan to sack three governors in Nigeria's northeast region, which is plagued by terrorist attacks by the Boko Haram militant group.

Mr. Akpabio made the suggestion at a meeting on Thursday between the President, governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a few other governors deemed friendly to Mr. Jonathan.

President Jonathan had initially invited all governors, including those of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the meeting to discuss new strategies for tackling the worsening crisis of attacks by Boko Haram.

However, those close to the President, led by Governor Akpabio, prevailed on the President to exclude APC governors and meet only with the PDP and a few other 'loyal' governors. Governor of Akwa Ibom was instrumental in making the president to rescind the invitation to the APC governors.

Mr. Akpabio, who is also the chairman of the PDP Governors' Forum, urged the President to sack the three governors in the northeast whose states are most affected by the terror attacks and to declare a total state of emergency in the three states.

The governors Mr. Akpabio wants sacked are Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State, and Kashim Shettima of Borno State. Mr. Akpabio told Mr. Jonathan that it would also be in the best interests of the party and the President if the governors were not in office by 2015 when elections would be conducted in the country.

Some of the governors present at the meeting with the President were taken aback by Mr. Akpabio’s suggestion. Akwa Ibom governor insisted that his suggestion reflected the views of the majority of the PDP governors and stakeholders, adding that he had been mandated to push for that move.

Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo State could confirm that most of the governors and political stakeholders want the President to take action against the three governors. Mr. Akpabio stated that the sacking of the three governors now that the state of emergency is due for renewal would enable the president to appoint friendly administrators to oversee the three troubled states.

Source: Legit.ng