POLITICAL activities for 2015 and disagreements over oil among the states in the South South geo-political zone, have split the governors into two opposing blocs.
On one side are the pair of governors of Rivers and Edo states, Rotimi Amaechi and Adams Oshiomhole, respectively. They are of All Progressives Congress, APC.
In the other camp are the quartet of governors Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Liyel Imoke (Cross River), all of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Niger Delta Voice investigations revealed that the governors would do everything possible to avoid a meeting, especially at social functions.
Because of political differences, the governors, who parleyed under the aegis of South South Governors' Forum have not met for some time now, while the BRACED Commission, an acronym for Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta States, formed about four years ago by the governors to integrate and fast track development among the six-member states, has temporarily been allocated the backseat.
A knowledgeable source told Niger Delta Voice: "The troubling development at the moment is that the governors have allowed their political dissimilarities to affect their common agenda for the region.
"The handwriting on the wall is gloomy because as I speak, it is clear that governors Uduaghan, Imoke, Akpabio and Dickson are the only ones that could sit together to discuss South South.
"Amaechi and Oshiomhole are viewed with suspicion. But hitherto, it was Uduaghan, Amaechi, Imoke and former Bayelsa Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva before he lost out in the politics of his state.
"They cannot sit down in a room as South South governors to plot a mutual strategy for the region. There must be reason to abort such meeting and Amaechi is regarded as a renegade with Oshiomhole as his soul mate."
A big shame-- Odigie-Oyegun
National Chairman of APC and first civilian governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, told Niger Delta Voice, "it is a great pity that the situation exists. I know most of the persons involved personally, except the Bayelsa man.
"What I see is the struggle for 2015. It has been so personalised and it is threatening to truncate peace in the region. I am worried because these are people I know would ordinarily not personalise such matters.
"It is the dangerous politics of PDP, where the party wants everybody to be on President Goodluck Jonathan's side. Everybody must be seen to be close to Jonathan and unfriendly to Amaechi; that is what they want and it has created a problem for the region.
"Nobody wants to consider the fact that Amaechi is fighting based on principles. He is only saying that what is right is right. It all started with the Nigeria Governors Forum election, which he won. But so many unconstitutional acts were performed and PDP wants it to be seen as a family matter. Amaechi said no and that was the final nail.
"I am not surprised that it is affecting their relationship, but I believe that by March next year, when the issue of Presidency would have been settled in favour of APC, things will normalise; the governors will refocus, because right now 2015 has made things impossible."
BRACED still functioning-- Enoba
Commissioner for Special Duties, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and BRACED Commission Liaison, Delta State, Mr. Chris Enoba, who spoke to Niger Delta Voice in Asaba, confirmed that all was not well with the South South governors. Although he was optimistic that the governors would get over the problem, Enoba confessed that governors Amaechi and Oshiomhole might have jettisoned the common dream due to political divide.
He said: "It is rather unfortunate that issues that are not supposed to take priority over the economy of any nation have been allowed to take the centre stage. Politics, because of interest that are involved, is capable of dividing us.
"But a politician that knows his onions should not allow politics to divide us no matter the level. We must make policies that would help to galvanise the economy of any nation. That way, politics can be said to be meaningful.
"It is true that Governor Amaechi and the other governor of APC extraction (Oshiomhole) may not be working together with PDP governors of BRACED states. It does not mean that BRACED commission is not functioning.
"We are forging ahead. So whether there is political divide or not, the BRACED Commission will still forge ahead with its mandate.
"The mandate of BRACED Commission is to create a platform that will outlive any administration. Rivers State alone should not stop the activities of the commission. I tell you, penultimate week, Commissioners of Energy, Oil and Gas in the region met and had useful discussions. We are focusing on having very strong infrastructural development in the zone and we are on course."
Chairman of Labour Party, LP, in the state, Mr. Emeka Nkwocha, said: "What will Governor Amaechi tell his people made him pull out of BRACED Commission?
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