Governor Yari emerged the chairman at the end of the meeting of the Forum held at the Lagos/Osun  Hall of the Transcorp  Hilton Hotel,  Abuja.

The outgoing chairman of the body and Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi  Amaechi, read the communique  of the meeting to journalists.

Amaechi said Yari emerged chairman by consensus and would serve for a period of one year. Yari is former deputy chairman of the Forum.

Amaechi also said after over a year of bickering, the governors had now “reconciled and are United as a single umbrella association  of the 36 state governors of Nigeria.”

The Rivers Governor added that induction programme for new and returning governors would be held in June.

He said the induction was aimed at equipping new and returning governors with knowledge of global best practices of establishing and running their offices.

In addition, Mr  Amaechi said the Forum resolved at the meeting to set up a Governors’ Forum Academy to be called “The NGF Leadership Academy” which will be responsible for capacity building of governors and other officials holding public office.

He said the academy would be overseen by the NGF secretariat.

About 20 governors, including some deputies, attended Monday’s meeting.

The forum called (NGF) is illegal. The Nigerian Constitution does not recognize it. It is at best known as pressure group for Governors to be nominating themselves and their friends to plum political offices in Nigeria. The forum should be banned for the good of Nigerians. The President-elect should take note of this or else what happened to GEJ would be extended to him. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.