35 Governors Voted During NGF Election – Governor Fayemi

Posted: May 26, 2013 - 21:49

By SaharaReporters, New York
The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has said 35 out of the 36 governors voted in Friday’s Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) election, which was won by the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi.

“It is on record that all the 35 governors present voted and there is an electronic evidence of this, and Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan served as the Returning Officer in the Friday election that produced Governor Amaechi as chairman of NGF,” Fayemi said in a statement in Ado Ekiti.

Amaechi, he reiterated, scored 19 votes while his rival, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, scored 16, a result that upset the pro-Jang group into seeking to set up an alternate governors’ forum.

“Whereas the pro-Jang group had reportedly premised their position on earlier endorsement of Governor Jang’s candidature by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum and the Northern Governors Forum, it suffices to state without any fear of contradiction that endorsement of a candidate does not translate to actual votes in any election.

And even if they want to claim it as the result of the election, how come it was originally dated April and contained the names of Governor Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State and Governor Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State who were absent?”

Fayemi pointed out that a candidate can have countless endorsements ahead of an election, but electoral victory is determined mainly by the number of votes he is able to garner at the election itself.

He implored members of the public not to be hoodwinked by the deliberate distortions of the events in the media, and the media to help enlighten the public on the issues at stake in a bid to build a more enduring democracy.

Full text of the statement:

The attention of the leadership of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) has been drawn to the distortion of the events leading to the election of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State as Chairman of the Forum at its election held in Abuja on Friday.

We are particularly worried about the deliberate misrepresentation of events at the election in the media by some members of the Forum in the bid to justify the setting up of a parallel group, following the defeat of Governor Jonah Jang in the keenly contested chairmanship election.

While we are not interested in joining issues with the Pro-Jang group in their smear campaign in the media, we feel compelled to correct some of the negative impressions being created in the minds of unsuspecting members of the public through a pot pourri of fabricated stories and outright lies.

It is on record that all the 35 governors present voted and there is an electronic evidence of this, and Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan served as the Returning Officer in the Friday election that produced Governor Amaechi as chairman of NGF.

Whereas the pro-Jang group had reportedly premised their position on earlier endorsement of Governor Jang’s candidature by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum and the Northern Governors Forum, it suffices to state without any fear of contradiction that endorsement of a candidate does not translate to actual votes in any election.

And even if they want to claim it as the result of the election, how come it was originally dated April and contained the names of Governor Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State and Governor Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State who were absent ?

A candidate can have countless endorsements ahead of an election, but electoral victory is determined mainly by the number of votes he is able to garner at the election.

Having won the election, Governor Amaechi had demonstrated statesmanship by making his acceptance speech, which dwelled on his readiness to work with his opponent, Governor Jang and the need for the governors to work with the President of the Country, Dr Goodluck Jonathan in moving the country forward.

Contrary to the rather bizarre position being canvassed by the pro-Jang group, we do not see any reason for us to demonstrate that we won the election. The results of the election, as announced by the electoral officer is clear on the victory of Governor Amaechi. Rushing to Abuja to create the impression of being the so-called authentic Governors’ Forum is not only childish but petty.

At an appropriate time, a meeting of the Forum will be convened. For now, we are busy concentrating on our developmental works in our individual states rather than indulging in smear campaigns and distortions.

We implore members of the public not to be hoodwinked by these deliberate distortions in the media. We also urge the media to help enlighten the public on the issues at stake in a bid to build a more enduring democracy.

Signed:
Dr Kayode Fayemi
Governor, Ekiti State

kulikuli26: You see why it appears one like the opposition more than this liars in presidency,they always have their writt ups very well articulated.don't worry sir,the intelligent Nigerians knows what to believe.

karl max: jang whetin 24 hours called for NGF meeting 18 out of the 35 governors presented him to the media as their chairman.fayemi and amechi should do same let us see the so called people that voted for amechi or are they not going to fight for what they believe in instead of writing epistle on the pages of new paper they should call for their own meeting and address the media just like the matured jang did and let the likes of fayemi and those that voted amechi present him to the media instead of them releasing statement.the 18 governors that stood behind jang has made it clear that jang is their leader the ball is now on amechi and his follower court is that to hard to do bunch of cry babies.more over its the 4 day after the election were still expecting their so call video of the election.

Lusola15:


Well said. Its simple line up behinde who u voted for. If gov amechi won u should have 19 gov behinde him

karl max: jang whetin 24 hours called for NGF meeting 18 out of the 35 governors presented him to the media as their chairman.fayemi and amechi should do same let us see the so called people that voted for amechi or are they not going to fight for what they believe in instead of writing epistle on the pages of new paper they should call for their own meeting and address the media just like the matured jang did and let the likes of fayemi and those that voted amechi present him to the media instead of them releasing statement.the 18 governors that stood behind jang has made it clear that jang is their leader the ball is now on amechi and his follower court is that to hard to do bunch of cry babies.more over its the 4 day after the election were still expecting their so call video of the election.

ogb5:

You mean open ballot system AKA option A4.

It won't work. The traitors and fear fear governors can not openly go against the wish of their big oga. They can vote in secret against what they all agreed to do but can not stand openly as men and stand by their decision.

With tons of skeletons under their cupboards, they have to tow the lines of their leader publicly else EFCC will be calling

ogb5:
With tons of skeletons under their cupboards, they have to tow the lines of their leader publicly else EFCC will be calling

karl max: jang whetin 24 hours called for NGF meeting 18 out of the 35 governors presented him to the media as their chairman.fayemi and amechi should do same let us see the so called people that voted for amechi or are they not going to fight for what they believe in instead of writing epistle on the pages of new paper they should call for their own meeting and address the media just like the matured jang did and let the likes of fayemi and those that voted amechi present him to the media instead of them releasing statement.the 18 governors that stood behind jang has made it clear that jang is their leader the ball is now on amechi and his follower court is that to hard to do bunch of cry babies.more over its the 4 day after the election were still expecting their so call video of the election.

nkem Kalu: MY FRIEND.....ELECTION HAS BEEN WON AND LOST. WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN THIS CHEAP PUBLICITY THE PRESIDENCY AND SO CALLED LOOSERS ARE TRYING TO PORTRAY TO THE PUBLIC. AMAECHI IS THE AUTHENTIC CHAIR OF THE NGF. JANG AND CO SHOULD SIMPLY FIND A FACE SAVING MEASURE TO BACK DOWN AND STOP ALL THESE NOISE MAKING. AKPABIO AND CO ARE BAD LOOSERS AND GOV. FAYEMI HAS SUMMARISED THE WHOLE ISSUE. A WORD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE.

Dee60: Of what use is NGF?

Governors have been at the heart of many of our problems. They behave like mini-gods and been behind most of tthe problems, be it, ND Militia or BH malaise.

It is about time they scattered and exposed themselves!

karl max: jang whetin 24 hours called for NGF meeting 18 out of the 35 governors presented him to the media as their chairman.fayemi and amechi should do same let us see the so called people that voted for amechi or are they not going to fight for what they believe in instead of writing epistle on the pages of new paper they should call for their own meeting and address the media just like the matured jang did and let the likes of fayemi and those that voted amechi present him to the media instead of them releasing statement.the 18 governors that stood behind jang has made it clear that jang is their leader the ball is now on amechi and his follower court is that to hard to do bunch of cry babies.more over its the 4 day after the election were still expecting their so call video of the election.