The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has fixed May 15 to 19, 2023, for the induction of governors-elect ahead of the May 29, swearing in.
This was just as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum (GF) said it was organising a reception for its governors and send forth for past PDP-GF Chairmen. The event is scheduled for 1pm, Thursday, May 11, 2023 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
On its part, the NGF also said the induction would be attended by the current Mayor of New York City, Eric Adams and two former American Governors, Terry McAuliffe of the State of Virginia and O’Malley Martin Joseph of Maryland, would be gracing the occasion.
In a statement, the Director, Media and Public Affairs, NGF Secretariat, Abdulrazaque Barkindo, said that the induction programme for incoming and returning governors is the NGF’s flagship programme where the incoming governors are supported with special tools to usher them into office in a seamless manner and to assist them move away from campaign to governance.
“Traditionally, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigeria Armed Forces is invited to give the keynote address to the gathering of Governors including those that are already out of office.”
It pointed out that the occasion accords the governors opportunity to share experiences and compare notes to further strengthen service delivery to the Nigerian people at the sub-national level.
According to the NGF, “Perusing their performance resume, O’Malley became renowned for reducing crime while McAuliffe focused on healthcare provision and education
“Eric Adams, the Mayor of New York City, which, if it were a country would have the ninth-largest gross metropolitan product (GMP) of $1.66 trillion, is visiting Africa for the first time, is known to have applied digital methods to fight crime in NYC.
The NGF further said there would also be rich conversations on managing expectations and “powering the bureaucracy to accomplish your agenda and balancing political appointees versus the civil service, among many other critical governance toolkits.”
PDP Governors’ Forum Welcomes Governors-Elect, Honours Past Chairmen.
Also all outgoing PDP Governors: Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State (Chairman); Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State (Vice Chairman); Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State; Samuel Ortom of Benue State; Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; and Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State, would also be honoured during the ceremony for all their services to the Forum.
“The event will feature a discussion on ‘Good Governance at the Sub-National level: Issues, Perspectives, Expectations and Outcomes,’ which will lay out the challenges facing governance at the sub-national level and possible solutions and is to be presented by Muda Yusuf, a renowned economist, as Guest Speaker.
“It is expected to be a star-studded event as invitations have been extended to the Acting PDP National Chairman, Umar Iliya Damagum and Members of the PDP National Working Committee, 2003 PDP presidential candidate and Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and Namadi Sambo, Former Vice President, Former PDP Governors, Current and Former PDP Presiding/Principal Officers of the National Assembly, Party Leaders, Stakeholders, friends and well-wishers.”
