MIMIKO IS NEW CHAIRMAN OF PDP GOVERNORS' FORUM

Five out of the 13 governors forming the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors' Forum on Tuesday night failed to attend the meeting of the governors in Abuja, where Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State was elected chairman of the forum.
Mimiko had in October 2014, dumped the Labour Party (LP) on which platform he was elected governor to the PDP.
The five governors who were absent at the meeting which ended on Wednesday were Governors Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State, Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and Professor Ben Ayade of Cross River State.
Those in attendance were Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Capt. Idris Wada (Kogi), Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Darius Ishaku (Taraba).
The deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral John Jonah represented the state governor at the meeting.
Addressing newsmen at the end of the meeting, governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, said: "the forum of PDP governors unanimously elected Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State as the chairman of the PDP Governors' Forum" but did not give reasons for the absence of five of their colleagues.
The governors also condemned the relocation of election Tribunals in Rivers, Taraba and Akwa Ibom States to Abuja and congratulated General Muhammadu Buhari on his election as Nigeria's President.
The PDP governors also congratulated the new National Assembly leadership
and commended former President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat and "stabilising the political landscape."
The new chairman of the forum said the PDP will engage the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) constructively to ensure that the principles and tenets of democracy are strictly adhered to.