The Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema, and his Bauchi State counterpart, Mallam Isa Yuguda, have given reasons why they decided to step down for last-minute entrant, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, during yesterday’s controversial election of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) in the country’s capital, Abuja.

Speaking with newsmen this morning in Abuja after the inaugural meeting to kick-start Jang’s two-year tenure, both men said they had to step down when the Northern Governors endorsed Jang as the consensus candidate. They said they acted in the overall interest of the nation.

As reported earlier by News Express, the meeting was attended by 18 Governors. Addressing newsmen thereafter, the Deputy Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Dr. Gabriel Suswam, who hosted the meeting at the Benue State Governor’s Lodge, said the Forum has endorsed the Jang as the new NGF Chairman. He said in an earlier meeting of the Forum presided over by Dr. Babangida Aliyu, they had unanimously adopted Governor Jang as the consensus Chairman and they stood by that decision.

•Photo shows Governor Shema.