The People's Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday night boycotted the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State by splitting the forum into another faction which it called the PDP governors' forum.

The Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio was unanimously elected as the chairman of the newly formed PDP Governors' Forum in a meeting which was well attended by the PDP leadership, the governors under the party's platform and President Goodluck Jonathan at House 7 of the presidential villa, Abuja.

The Rivers state Governor who had also attended the meeting alongside other governors was said to have later stormed out of the meeting.

After the meeting started at about 8.00pm and ended at about 12.05am today morning, an excited national chairman of the party, Bamanga Tukur led all the PDP governors to address Journalists after the president and Vice President Namadi Sambo had left the venue.

While stating that the formation of the PDP Governors Forum was borne out of neccessity, Tukur said, "Let me present to you the newly elected chairman of the governors forum, Governor Godwill Akpabio".

Backed by other PDP governors and leaders alike, Akpabio said the party at the meeting had decided to form its own governor 'sforum because of the emerging political trend in the country.

He sited the new political mergers like the All Progressive Alliance (APC) for being the reason why PDP decided to consolidate, adding that the new PDP governors' forum will not in any way affect the operation of the Nigeria Governors Forum.

When asked why the ruling party had to wait for 14 years before forming its own governors' forum, he said things do happen in line with current trends, noting that even the new development called global warming had necessitated some measures that were not there way back.

Akpabio noted that any other party like the ACN and the CPC could form their own Governors' forum, saying even APGA for instance could form their own governors' forum with Governor Peter Obi as its chairman adding that his election was borne out of an urgent need for the Party to re-startegise.

He also explained that the new body would not in any way disrupt the larger body of Governors Forum which is currently chaired by Rivers governor, Rotimi Amaechi who is also a PDP governor.

He said the Governors Forum still subsist and other political parties also have the right to form a similar organ.

Denying any move to remove Amaechi, who was also at the meeting but later left, from the position of Chairman of Governors Forum, Akpabio said, "There was no move to to remover the Rivers Governor as chairman of the governors Forum. There was never a discussion to remove him. The tenure will end by April, though he has the right to re-contest".

Stating that the new development would not lead to any crack in the larger forum, he said, "There will be no crack. Other parties are also meeting. There will be no crack but it will strenghten the forum".

The governors are expected to meet today at 4.00pm to elect their next chairman in a context that has Governors Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Gabriel Suswam of Benue and Ibrahim Shehu Shema of Katsina as the major contenders of the governors' top seat to replace Amaechi who is alleged to have not provided quality leadership for the forum.

It was gathered from sources at the presidency yesterday night that the meeting was convened reduced the powers of Amaechi ahead of today's meeting to avoid embarrassment for the ruling party.

"The president wants to mediate as a father in this unsettling affair. It is not about him taking sides. It is about putting the PDP house in order" said the source who pleaded anonymity.

The anti-Amaechi governors had alleged that the Rivers State governor was dictatorial as chairman of NGF and had maintained a hard stance against the President.

Amaechi was elected the Chairman of the governors' forum in June 2011 in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. He took over from former Governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki.