Governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi been elected chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
Fayemi was chosen by a consensus after he was nominated by Nasir el-Rufai, with Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta state, seconding his nomination.
NGF also elected his Sokoto state counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal as the Deputy Chairman.
The outgoing Chairman of the Forum, Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar of Zamfara state who read the communique at the end of the meeting disclosed that Fayemi was unanimously elected by the governors to lead the forum till 2021.
“Members also elected Governor Aminu Tambwal of Sokoto state as the vice-chairman of the forum from 2019 to 2021,” Yari said.
He explained that Tambuwal was nominated by Akinwumi Ambode, governor of Lagos state and seconded by Rotimi Akeredolu, his Ondo state counterpart.
Yari added that the forum was concerned with the recent guidelines of the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
The guidelines according to him sought to impose restriction on the powers of states and local governments to operate within constitutionally approved parameters.
“The new guidelines have no legal basis under the NFIU Act and are contrary to constitutional provisions which put the State Joint Local Government Account under the legislation of the state houses of assembly,” he said.
“The guidelines will also be detrimental to the interest of States and local governments by crippling programmes such as the Universal Basic Education programme, Primary Health Care Under One Roof, as well as the payment of the salaries of teachers, medical doctor and health workers among others which are primarily funded by state governments.”