The Nigerian Governors Forum will on Tuesday night meet with President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja.The meeting at the Presidential Villa will enable the governors to discuss many national issues.As a prelude to the meeting with the President, the 36 state governors are meeting first at the Rivers State Lipson Office, where they are expected to harmonise their position before heading for the Villa.One of the issues expected to be tabled before the President is the governors decision not to accept any allocation from the Federation Account Allocation Committee if the sharing is not in accordance with the Appropriation Act, 2011.At a meeting in Abuja on October 25 presided over by their Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, the governors said they would no longer allow the Federal Government deduct to money from the Federation Account.When the decision was taken Jonathan was not in the country.He was away in Australia where he was attending Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.The governors said they were in support of their commissioners for Finance and Accountants-General rejecting what they called the illegal deductions of N231.6bn at the October 2011 FAAC meeting.They contended that that the lawful deductions for the year had been fully made.Amaechi, who is Rivers State Governor, said he and his colleagues had decided to also have a meeting with the President over the issue.He said, The Forum unanimously rejected all illegal deductions that amounted to N1.079tr for nine months in excess of the budgeted sum of 240b for oil subsidy for the year in clear violation of the Appropriation Act, 2011 and the Nigerian Constitution.Members noted that the total deduction for last year was N500.6b which has more than doubled to N1.264tr in the first nine months of this year suggesting erroneously that consumption has increased.Finally, members directed the Commissioners for Finance to reject any allocation that is not in accordance with the Appropriation Act, 2011.The non-sharing of the September allocation is said to be having negative effect on the states, as some of them were unable to pay salaries.In fact, the October salaries of some workers had not been paid, which was said to be causing ripples among them and their employers.Other issues expected to be discussed at the meeting are Sovereign Wealth Fund, Excess Crude Account, payment of minimum wage and security in the country.The Director General of the NGF, Mr. Bayo Okauru, who confirmed the governors meeting with the President, however said he did not know the agenda of the meeting.He also confirmed that the governors would meet first before proceeding to the Presidential Villa.
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