TheCable

Kashim Shetima, governor of Borno state, has been elected as chairman of the governors’ forum of the 19 northern states, while Abdullahi Ganduje, incoming governor of Kano, emerged as Shettima’s deputy.

Shettima replaces Babangida Aliyu, the outgoing governor of Niger state.

Speaking at the Niger state governor’s lodge in Asokoro, Abuja on Monday, Aliyu wished his successor all the best.

“And the forum therefore is set to handover the leadership to the executive governor of Borno state, Kashim Shettima,” he said.

“We believe that the Boko Haram would soon be defeated, even though they have recently been causing some problems in Maiduguri and Damaturu, we believe that our military is up to the task to handle them.”

Responding, Shettima thanked his colleagues for their confidence in him, promising to serve them in the best way possible.

“The north represents everything negative in this country for now,” he said.

“We are the face of poverty, we are the face of insecurity, we are the face of illiteracy but it is our duty as a people to unite. As a family we would unite to confront our common challenges and surmount them.

“Insha Allah, I will strive to be the chairman of all and not the chairman of APC governors alone.”

Earlier, Aliyu said the forum had agreed to intervene in the crisis in the Nigerian governors’ forum by uniting the two factions.

Rotimi Amaechi, governor of Rivers state and Jonah Jang, his Plateau counterpart, are leaders of the separate factions of the forum.

Amaechi got re-elected as chairman of the forum in May 2013 after polling 19 votes to defeat Jang, who had 16 votes, but with his disagreement with President Goodluck Jonathan, the president chose to recognise Jang as the chairman.

Consequently, the forum split into two.