Nine of the progressive state
governors in the All Progressive
Congress (APC) merger plan,
Tuesday rose from a meeting in
Owerri, the Imo State capital,
condemning the current
harassment of Rivers State
Governor, Chibuike Amaechi,
and describing it as an affront
to the nation’s Constitution and
Federalism.
The Governors who were also in
Owerri in solidarity with the State
Governor, Rochas Okorocha on
the second Anniversary of his
administration, christened
Freedom Day, include those of
Lagos, Edo, Osun, Ekiti, Ogun,
Oyo, Borno and Nassarawa. The
Governors of Zamfara and Yobe
sent apologies for their
unavoidable absence.
In a communiqué issued after
their meeting at the Government
House Owerri, the Governors,
who expressed grave concern
over the developments in the
nation’s polity generally, said
what was playing itself out in
Rivers State was “an open assault
on the Nation, Federalism and
Sovereignty of the people”.
Calling on the Presidency “to stop
the unwarranted assault on the
Sovereignty of Nigerians, the
Governors declared, “A
government freely formed by the
democratic choice of Nigerians
cannot be arbitrarily harassed
and intimidated out of office
through brazen use of power
and outright abuse of same”.
“We are concerned about
developments in the polity. What
is playing itself out in Rivers is an
affront on the Constitution and
Nigerian Federalism/Federation.
We, therefore, strongly condemn
the open assault on our Nation,
Federalism and Sovereignty of
our people. We call on the
Presidency to stop the
unwarranted assault on the
sovereignty of Nigerians”, the
Governors said.
The Governors equally expressed
delight at the significant
progress that has been made
towards the conclusion of the
merger of the Action Congress of
Nigeria (ACN), Congress for
Progressive Change (CPC) and All
Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP)
noting, particularly, the recent
successful hosting of ACN special
convention in Lagos, the
affirmation of the Governor
Rochas Okorocha led All
Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA)
in Owerri and the impending
conventions of CPC and ANPP
coming up this weekend.
Assuring Nigerians that the
merger process that would give
them a new alternative platform
that would form government at
the federal level in 2015 “is
irreversible and on course”, the
Governors, however, called on
party members and Nigerians in
general to guard their loins “as
the desperation of the PDP to
scuttle the process is reaching
fever pitch”.
Expressing solidarity with the
government and people of Imo
State on the second anniversary
of the Freedom Day, the
governors noted with
satisfaction the giant
development strides that have
been achieved by the Rescue
Mission of the Okorocha
Administration in Imo State in
the last two years.
The Governors condoled with the
government and people of Ekiti
State on the death of the former
Deputy Governor of the State,
Funmi Olayinka, praying that the
Almighty God would give her
family and the people of Ekiti
State “the fortitude to bear the
great loss”.
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