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Nigeria: VP, Niger Delta Govs Meet On Gambari's Replacement
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Daily Champion (Lagos)
11 July 2008
Posted to the web 11 July 2008
Daniel Idonor
Abuja
Governors of the Niger Delta states yesterday rose from a crucial meeting with Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan on a possible replacement for the Chairman of the Steering Committee of Niger Delta Summit, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, with a resolve to consult with leaders from the area on the matter.
The meeting which took place in the office of the vice-president was attended by Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Lyel Imoke of Cross River and Theodore Orji of Abia while others were represented by their deputy governors.
Some names may have been presented to the governors by the presidency to choose from but the governors viewing the issue as very sensitive may have requested time to enable them consult with leaders from the zone on the replacement and other aspects of proposed summit before a final choice.
The meeting was sequel to the outright rejection of Professor Ibrahim Gambari. However, after the controversy, the diplomat formerly resigned in a letter to the vice-president where he attributed the opposition to his candidacy to an 'orchestrated campaign' by some people to tarnish his image.
Governor Uduaghan who did not confirm Gambari's resignation when he briefed State House correspondents after the meeting but said he was not ready to give detailed account of transactions at the meeting, volunteering, however, that the issue of the chairmanship of the proposed meeting should not be made to overshadow the actual event.
Gov. Uduaghan, said that Gambari's rejection and his subsequent resignation could not scuttle the proposed summit since the issues were beyond who heads the summit's steering committee.
"What I know is that all of us in the Niger Delta agreed that we should continue to talk. The issue of the chairman will not scuttle the summit," he said, pointing out that "what we agreed to do at today's meeting is to go back as governors, hold further consultation with elders and leaders and also bring them back to meet with the vice-president next week."
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Governor Uduaghan said yesterday's meeting was to review the earlier one convened by the Vice-President which had in attendance governors, national assembly members, youth leaders and elders from the region. He said the rejection of Gambari by the people of the Niger Delta and other issues that have recently cropped up about the summit would be taken into consideration when a final decision on the matter is to be taken.
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