[size=18pt]2015 Elections May End Up Like NGF Poll – Amaechi[/size]




Rivers State Governor  Rotimi Amaechi on Wednesday lamented the  crisis rocking the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and then threw a bombshell: 2015 elections  may end up like that of the NGF.

“Let me put it on record that the way things are going,  2015 elections will end in this manner where people will win democratic elections and those in power will not accept the results,” he said at a stakeholders’ symposium on the  review of the 1999 Constitution   in Abuja.

Amaechi, who won the May 24 NGF election in Abuja, wondered why some people  would be backing Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, who contested  against him and lost.

Amaechi described Jang and  his supporters as non-democrats and accused the Nigeria Bar Association of losing its  voice by failing to condemn the actions taken by Jang and his supporters after the NGF poll.

President Goodluck Jonathan is the major supporter of the Jang faction of the NGF  and Amaechi’s outburst appeared to  the audience to  be mostly  directed at him (the President).

Amaechi, who said he  had  been trying to avoid the microphone because  of too many problems in the country, told the gathering that since he had been made to mount the rostrum, he  was ready to make “headlines.”

 First,  he blasted the NBA,  then Jang and the “government that supports him”.  Amaechi  described himself as the authentic NGF  chairman, saying that what  Jang was leading was  a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum.

 The  governor said, “The NBA cannot afford to lose its voice, but you have lost your voice. For the NBA to see a free and fair election, where 35 governors who govern 35 states in the nation, who make decisions for hundreds of millions of Nigerians, for NBA to say that ‘if they can’t organise themselves dissolve,’ you have lost your voice.

 “I say it and I want to be put on record that anybody who supports the Jang group is undemocratic.

“Before that  the NGF election, we chose who will be the returning officer , we appointed our director-general to be the returning officer   and we voted.

“Everybody voted. Everybody, including Jang. Jang was even among the first persons to vote.

“When I won my brother from Akwa Ibom State(Godswill Akpabio) stood up and said, ‘there’s a document I have where 19 governors have signed for us.’

 “And Jang says the Northern  States Governors’ Forum  supported him. Which Northern governors? They should have voted for him. He also  said the PDP governors supported him before the election, then the PDP governors should have voted for him.

“What you have that Jang is leading is another faction of the PDP Governors’ Forum, not the NGF.

“Anybody, whether NBA or government that supports Jang’s faction is undemocratic.”

He urged Nigerians and the judiciary  to rise up and defend their rights.

Amaechi  said, “My Lords,  you must defend  our democracy  and  Nigeria. We don’t have any other country anywhere else, the only country we have is this.

“We must be prepared as a people to defend our rights; we must be prepared as a people to hold government accountable. We must be prepared as a people to demand accountability.”

Amaechi urged Nigerians to resist a situation “where non-government officers that have no public function can order the Inspector-General of Police  to change commissioners of police.”

The governor, who  stated  that it was not proper for the President to appoint commissioners of police, said there was the  need for state police to be included  in the ongoing constitution review.

Apparently referring to his problems with the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Amaechi said, “You were talking about state prisons and state police. We don’t have state prisons; we don’t have state police.

“A situation where governors are left helpless and hopeless because somebody here in Abuja determines who becomes my commissioner of police, and tells him what to do, and he makes the city uncomfortable and ungovernable, is not the kind of constitution that I will want to support.”

Although Amaechi’s  insistence on being the authentic NGF chairman was corroborated by Niger State Governor and Chairman of the N S G F ,  Babangida Aliyu,on Wednesday,  Jang dismissed the Rivers State  governor’s claim that he (Jang) was  leading a faction of the PDP Governors’ Forum.

Jang, who spoke through the Sole Administrator of his NGF faction secretariat, Mr. Osaro Onaiwu, wondered  if Amaechi was leading the opposition governors forum.

Onaiwu  said, “The governors of Ondo and Anambra States, Dr. Olusegun Mimimo and Mr. Peter Obi respectively, are they members of the PDP?

“These governors are members of the  Labour Party and  the All Progressives Grand Alliance, yet Amaechi is saying we are leading a faction of the PDP Governors’ Forum.

“Is he not a member of the PDP himself? The Governor of Kano State, Dr. Rabiu Kwakwanso  nominated Jang for the position. Is he not a member of the PDP as well?

“The Governor of Akwa Ibom State is the chairman of the PDPGF.  If Jang is leading a faction of the PDPGF, which faction is Amaechi leading? The opposition governors’ forum?”

But Aliyu said at   the turbaning  of his Deputy,  Ahmed Ibeto, as the  Wali Raya Kasar Nupe and the PDP Chairman in the state,  Abduraman Enagi, as Sardauna Ayuka Nupe by the Estu Nupe Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, that Amaechi won the NGF election.

Aliyu, who also gave insight into what happened during   the  NSGF meeting  ahead of  the NGF poll,  maintained  that no Northern governor betrayed anybody.

He said, “Many people have been asking why governors could not unite   to elect a leader. But my answer is that we were united and  we elected a chairman. If anybody recognises another person as a chairman, the onus is on us to  solve our problem. We must recognise Governor Amaechi as NGF chairman”.

“Governor  Jang  emerged as a candidate from the north after the NSGF discovered that there was an issue between Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda and the Kastina State Governor Ibrahim Shema.”

He said the NSGF intervened and agreed that Jang should contest.I  told them that we must go and insist on consensus but in a situation where election took  place,  the conscience  of the people prevailed”.

Aliyu added, “Thirty-five governors voted. Nineteen voted  for one candidate   and 16 for a particular candidate.  Those who go around destroying reputation should just bury  their hatchets.”

Okoro2015: By 2015, he may be in Kuje prison. Let him continue ranting. ACN/CPC Governors forum chairman.

Tintinix: .. True Rivers man! What others will see and strategise on how to acheive their agenda.. We go just dey spew all our intestines out for accolades!
Please oh let it work for you this time oh else it will be same o same o! ..and others will not learn!

dayokanu: Excellent analysis.

Amaechi has shown to have more sense than the bunch of retardds in the Jang faction

There was an election 19 voted Amaechi, 16 voted Jang

So do we need an oracle to tell us who won?

Thats the Retardeen Jonathan brand of democracy where elections dont determine winners,
where 16 wins over 19,
Where some paper signed is what determines winners

2015 we await

KwoiZabo: Every body knows that GEJ is a true domocrat judging by all the elections that he has mid-wived from federal to states and non of these elections have been reversed by the courts but we all know what tinubu/fashola did to Lagos LG elections and so far 2 have been reversed,I don,t want to talk about how Amaechi used the military to rig in rivers. The grand ploy by the presidency is to destroy the NGF and it is succeeding so that NGF will not be a thorn in his flesh. Its politics

Garri the 1st: Amaechi spoke the truth. GEJ and his gang must win 2015 or split the country like they did the NGF. Your votes will not count in 2015.

chei: Look who's talking about democracy? Someone who didn't contest an election but was made governor.
Amaechi you should be controlling traffic in Elekahia, that's what you know how to do best.

chei: Look who's talking about democracy? Someone who didn't contest an election but was made governor.
Amaechi you should be controlling traffic in Elekahia, that's what you know how to do best.

The governor said, “The NBA cannot afford to lose its voice, but you have lost your voice. For the NBA to see a
free and fair election, where 35
governors who govern 35 states in the
nation, who make decisions for
hundreds of millions of Nigerians, for
NBA to say that ‘if they can’t organise
themselves dissolve,’ you have lost
your voice.

chei: Look who's talking about democracy? Someone who didn't contest an election but was made governor.
Amaechi you should be controlling traffic in Elekahia, that's what you know how to do best.

KwoiZabo: Amaechi better shut up there. Who told you that this election is a reflection of the perception of Nigerians. You must be a dreamer. You can always go round and deceive 19 govs. Including all ACN stooges to help you fight GEJ and polish your Ego but you can't deceive 160 million Nigerians who feel the dividend of GEJ's govt. And knows that the president is not proud , corrupt or power hungry like most of you in the NGF.

abokinside: I remember when Ribadu was been hounded by Andoaka the rogue attorney general installed by Ibori to do his dirty job.

Today same Ribadu is back from exil has even contested for president, chaired important committes and enjoying his life. Pls be guided wisely.

KwoiZabo: Amaechi better shut up there. Who told you that this election is a reflection of the perception of Nigerians. You must be a dreamer. You can always go round and deceive 19 govs. Including all ACN stooges to help you fight GEJ and polish your Ego but you can't deceive 160 million Nigerians who feel the dividend of GEJ's govt. And knows that the president is not proud , corrupt or power hungry like most of you in the NGF.