TheCable

The Nigeria governors’ forum (NGF) wants Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, to account for $20 billion being accruals of the excess crude account (ECA) from May 2013 till April 2015.

Rotimi Amaechi,  chairman of NGF, made the demand at the end of a four-hour meeting that held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

“In the light of the fact that funds in the Excess Crude Account were last disbursed in May 2013, there is need for the minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to provide explanations for accruals to this account from June 2013 to April 2015, which is estimated at over $20 billion,” he said while reading a communiqué issued at the meeting.

The forum also announced that Abdulaziz Yari, governor of Zamfara state, had been elected as new chairman of the NGF, and congratulated Muhammadu Buhari, the president-elect, over his victory in the election. It also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for accepting the outcome of the poll.

“Governor Abdul Yari Aziz of Zamfara state emerged as the new chairman by consensus for a one-year period from May 2015 to May 2016,” the communique read.

“We are hereby reconciled and reunited as a single umbrella association of the 36 state governors of Nigeria regardless of party or region.

“Forum congratulates the president- elect, Muhammadu Buhari on his victory in the recent presidential election, which was held on March 28, 2015, and President Goodluck Jonathan for his statesmanship in accepting the outcome of the elections.”

Twenty governors attended the meeting.

The NGF had split into two two factions headed by Amaechi and Jonah Jang, his Plateau counterpart. Amaechi had secured 19 votes to Jang’s 16 to emerge governor of the forum in May 2013, but with his disagreement with President Goodluck Jonathan, the president opted to recognise Jang as the chairman.