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| Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State |
By: Chuks Okocha
The leadership crisis rocking the Nigeria Governors’ Forum
(NGF) shows no sign of abating as the winner of the chairmanship election held
penultimate Friday, Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, has said he is
not contemplating resigning or stepping aside, as his victory over Governor
Jonah Jang of Plateau State was a mandate freely given by his colleagues.
However, Amaechi’s statement came just as some governors
from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition parties have
started holding discussions that could lead to the resolution of the impasse in
the NGF.
If they get their way, Amaechi and Jang, who head different
factions of the NGF, will be asked to step down to pave the way for the
emergence of a consensus chairman.
Amaechi, who briefed journalists Tuesday after inspecting
the NGF secretariat in Asokoro District, Abuja, in company with the Ekiti State
Governor, Kayode Fayemi, said he contested the NGF election to prove a point
that any Nigerian anywhere has a fundamental right to contest any election.
He spoke as the Director General of the NGF, Assishana Bayo
Okuaro, disclosed that there were attempts to hack into the website of the
original governors’ forum.
Amaechi, who also responded to questions on whether he would
contemplate resignation for a consensus candidate to replace him as chairman of
the NGF, said: “Stepping down, no, no. That is the mandate that was freely
given and I will stick to that mandate.”
The Rivers State governor explained that he was scared
midway into the election, but said his faith in God saw him through, especially
when the votes were being counted.
According to him, “When the votes were being counted and
some governors said Jang was in an early lead and at a time, it was Amaechi
three and Jang 16 votes, I was scared. But later as the counting progressed, I
gradually regained confidence.”
On whether the Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, voted
during the election, he said: “Mimiko and I are Christians and I think he is a
good Christian and one of the sins against God is the sin of lying. I am not
saying he is lying but I am saying Mimiko voted.”
Amaechi further disclosed that he tried to stop the election
from being recorded by Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State because of the
concerns raised by his colleagues, but the video recording turned out to be his
saving grace.
On Jang, the Rivers State governor urged his Plateau State
counterpart, who is chairing a faction of the forum, to remember that he is a
Christian, adding: “God watches over everybody and whatever you say, say it
according to God because beyond NGF you and I know that there is heaven and you
can't go to heaven if you don't tell the truth and stand by the truth.
“I am not saying he is not saying the truth, I am not saying
he is not standing by the truth. I am just saying that nobody can go to heaven
when he is not telling the truth.”
Amaechi added that everything about the NGF election and his
victory was the handiwork of God, saying: “Don’t win the battle and lose the
war.”
Amaechi refuted the allegation that he manipulated the NGF
constitution, saying that the constitution of the forum was registered in 2009
during the administration of the former chairman, Senator Bukola Saraki.
Speaking on the outcome of the election and its impact on
the polity, Amaechi said: “I believe that my brothers and colleagues will see
reason why we should stop distracting the country and get the country united to
focus on development because at the end of the day it is about legacy, it is
about what we will leave behind for the people.
“I think that it is up to Nigerians to know that nothing
pays more than democracy, the right to choose who you want to choose and the
governors having made their choice, we can only do one thing but stand by the
choice the governors have made.
“We should ensure that we don't allow what is happening now
affect the stand of Nigerians in the course of the 2015 elections. We are
mature enough to manage our own democracy and our own election process.
“Former Governor of Edo State, (Lucky) Igbenedion who was
one time chairman of the secretariat handed over the secretariat to Governor
Saraki, who in turn handed over to me and so there cannot be two secretariats,
it is only one secretariat.
“For the interest of the country, the governors must come
together and work together and resolve their differences, so that we move
together as a team because the country is listening and watching and it is
important that we don't allow the image of the governors to be destroyed just
because there are arguments on who is chairman and so on.”
Amaechi noted that if individuals are unable to reach a
consensus on an issue, the best way of choosing a leader is via an election,
which is what took place.
However, he added that it was important for the governors to
toe the path of peace and come together, stating: “I don't see what the
chairman of the governors’ forum can do for anybody. He is just a person who
presides over meetings of equal.”
Despite Amaechi’s posture, some governors in the PDP and
opposition parties have started to reach out to one another to resolve the
crisis in the NGF.
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