Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, expressed the view in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, congratulating Fayemi on his election as the new NGF Chairman.

Issa-Onilu said NGF’s unanimous election of Fayemi on Wednesday night to lead it till 2021, was indeed a right choice.

This, he said, was especially so, judging by Fayemi’s proven record of progressive leadership and experience as a development expert, minister, and governor among other endeavours.

He noted that since its establishment, the non-partisan NGF had been a strategic partner in deepening democracy and entrenching good governance in the country.

“We are confident that the NGF under Fayemi’s leadership will continue in this best practice by cooperating and supporting the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration in delivering on the change agenda for Nigerians,” he said.

The national publicity secretary said this was particularly critical as the country geared up for the next four years of the administration’s renewed mandate.

Issa-Onilu wished Fayemi a successful and impactful tenure, adding that the APC looked forward to a cordial relationship between the NGF and the President Buhari-led administration.

This, he stressed, would undoubtedly ensure the successful implementation of the Next Level plans for collective progress in the country.

Gov. Fayemi of Ekiti emerged the new chairman of the NGF through a consensus.

Gov. Abdul’aziz Yari of Zamfara, who is also the outgoing chairman of the forum disclosed this after a meeting held on Wednesday night in Abuja.

Yari disclosed that Fayemi was nominated by Malam Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, seconded by the Governor of Delta, Ifeanyi Okowa and unanimously elected by the governors to lead the forum till 2021.

Yari added that “Members also elected Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State as the vice Chairman of the forum from 2019 to 2021.”

He explained that Tambuwal was nominated by the Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State and seconded by his Ondo State counterpart, Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NGF is an umbrella body of elected governors in the 36 states of the federation, irrespective of party affiliation.