Politics

NGF Election: Matters Arising

Published

13 years ago

June 3, 2013

To the chagrin of his persecutors, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was re-elected as the chairman of influential Nigeria Governor Forum (NGF) in an election that was characterized by intrigues, suspense and intimidation.

He polled 19 votes to beat his challenger, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau who secured 16 votes.

Announcing the result to newsmen, the Director-General of NGF, Mr Aishena Okauru said 35 governors voted in the keenly contested election, while the Yobe State governor, Ibrahim was the only sbsentee. He affirmed that the election was free and fair.

With deflated ego, the anti-Amaechi governors who are widely believed to be working at the behest of the presidency later converged at the Akwa Ibom State Governor’s lodge to discredit the electoral process that returned Governor Amaechi as the chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum.

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State who is the chairman of the newly formed PDP Governors Forum and also the arrow-head of the anti-Amaechi forces said that Governor Amaechi ought to have resigned as NGF Chairman before seeking re-election. According to him, his non-resignation breached the rules. He denied outright that he participated in the election, describing it as a sham. He told reporters that Governor Jonah Jang had been chosen as the new chairman of the NGF following an earlier resolution of the Northern Governors Forum and the PDP Governors Forum. He therefore, distributed copies of a statement entitled. Resolution of Nigerian Governors,” purportedly signed by 19 governors.

The statement reads, “we the undersigned Governors of Nigerian Governors Forum, having taking cognizance of the state of the nation and the perception of Nigerian people do hereby resolve as follows:

That we thank the out-going chairman, His Excellency, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, Governor of Rivers State for his leadership and achievements.

That we strongly agree for a change of leadership of the forum from may 2013 to May 2015.

We hereby, therefore, elect His Excellency, Jonah Jang of Plateau State as the new chairman of the forum.

But the pro-Amaechi group has insisted that all the 35 governors consented to the electoral process which resulted in the re-election of the preferred candidate of the majority of the governors.

Speaking on the outcome of the election, a Lagos-based lawyer and human rights activist Femi Falana (SAN) said “The Victory of Governor Amaechi is clear affirmation of the confidence of the majority of the governors in the leadership of their chairman.

“It is hoped that Mr Amaechi will accept the renewed call to service as a challenge to lead the forum to address the increasing wave of poverty, unemployment and insecurity of lives and property in the land.

“Now that the election is over, the governors should close ranks and collaborate with President Goodluck Jonathan to restore law and order in all parts of the country.

“It is however unfortunate that some of the governors who contested and voted in the election have decided to embarrass themselves by challenging the integrity of the exercise. Indeed, the reason adduced for attempting to discredit the election by the camp that lost is childish and bunkum.

“They claim that the election was vitiated because Governor Amaechi did not step down before the race. Did any of the governors who re-contested elections and won in their states step doom before the elections were conducted by the National Independent Electoral Commission?

“In any case, having not complained before the NGF election, before voting for the candidates of their choice, all the 35 governors who took part in the election are deemed to have waived any right to challenge the procedure collectively adopted and agreed upon by them an the voting.

“Therefore, all the governors are estopped from questioning the results of the polls on the basis of the alleged procedural defect.

“In line with the decision of the election petitions tribunals which upheld the election of each of the governors on the basis of substantial compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act in their respective states, it is indubitably clear that the election of Governor Amaechi as NGF Chairman was in substantial compliance with the Electoral Rules and Guide-Inies of the NGF.

Reacting to reports in some sections of the media, linking the presidency with the crisis in the Nigeria Governors Forum, the special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati denied the involvement of the presidency in the NGF election.

“Contrary to the impression of presidential partisanship and interference in the affairs of the governors forum erroneously conveyed by some headlines in the media today, President Jonathan who is currently leading Nigeria’s delegation to African Union summit in Addis Ababa had no preferred candidate in the NGF election and could therefore not have been flooned by any other candidate as some newspapers sensationally reported.

“Jonathan trusts that as true democrats and respected national political leaders, members of the Governors Forum will quickly resolve the issues and differences amongst them, which emerged yesterday and continue to contribute effectively to national development as strong and progressive body,” Abati said.

While Abati has done so well to exonerate his principal from the crisis rocking the NGF, political pundits have wondered why the president who has severally expressed his commitment to democratic ideals would feign ignorance of true picture of what transpired in the NGF election. Moreso, there is a video-tape that captured the proceedings of the day.

Again, as the leader of the PDP in the country, the president, the pundits said would find it difficult to convince Nigerians that he was not privy to the party’s decision to suspend a high ranking member, in the person of a governor of a state, for a flimsy reason of disregarding the directive of the party leadership in Rivers State to recall elected officers of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council who were suspended by the State House of Assembly for alleged corruption.

The pundits have argued that the body language of the president shows he is not happy with the re-emergence of Governor Amaechi as the NGF chairman.

However, Governor Amaechi has expressed his willingness to work with the president to realise the development dream of Nigerians.

“Today, the governors have spoken with one voice, re-affirming our faith in democratic governance as the hope of Nigeria’s future. We remain committed to supporting our leader, the President and Commander –In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to realise the development dream of all Nigerians by reducing tension, uncertainty and in our beloved country,” he said.

Inasmuch as well-meaning Nigerians would be glad over the speedy reconciliation of the president and the Rivers State Governor, we must not fail to condemn our leaders who publicly he to their subjects to advance their selfish interest.

The NGF election is indeed an eye-opener to the amount of lies that unsuspecting Nigerans have been fed by these governors. We now understand why some states under the leadership of these terrible governors will not experience face and fair elections. In those states, the majority will only have their say but certainly not their way.

Finally, we salute Governor Amaechi on his re-election as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum.

Reward Akwu

Politics

Parties’ Deregistration: How Justice Lifu Overruled Appeal Court Justices

Published

10 hours ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday brushed aside the order of the Court of Appeal in Abuja which ordered him to stay proceedings in a suit that sought deregistration of the African Democratic Party (ADC), Accord Party and three others.
The Court of Appeal in a unanimous decision of a panel of three Justices had on May 22, 2026 directed the Federal High Court Judge not to proceed with the suit until an appeal pending before them and filed by Accord Party is resolved.
In a Certified True Copy Enrol Order of the Superior Court, Justices Mohammed Danjuma, Adebukola Banjoko and Oyejoju Oyewumi asked the lower Court Judge to stay proceedings until all issues on the appeal filed by the Accord Party were resolved
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State had, through the Accord Party, applied to justice Lifu to join him as a defendant in the deregistration legal battle instituted by a group of former legislators.
The contention of the Osun State governor was that he had a stake in the Accord Party, being the platform he was seeking re-election in the August 15 gubernatorial poll in the state.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu on April 27 ruled against the Osun State governor, rejecting his request to be joined in the suit to defend his own position and interest.
Not satisfied with the Federal High Court decision, the Osun State governor, through his lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), moved to the Court of Appeal in Abuja where he challenged the Justice Lifu decision to refuse to allow him join the suit.
After listening to the argument canvassed, especially that he has interest to protect as Accord Party gubernatorial candidate for Osun State governorship election, the three Justices of the Court of Appeal, unanimously directed Justice Lifu to allow them look into the grievances of the governor.
In specific terms, the Court of Appeal Justices directed Justice Lifu not to proceed further with the matter and fixed October 27 to determine the interlocutory appeal of the appellant.
However, when the certified enroll order and notice of appeal were served on Justice Peter Lifu by Mr Adetunbi (SAN), the judge rejected it on the ground that it was a ploy to arrest his judgment in the matter.
Although the judge had adjourned his judgment delivery in the matter indefinitely, he finally made a dramatic turn around on Monday and proceeded to deliver the judgment that has now proscribed the five political parties.

Politics

ADC: Okonkwo Rejects Amaechi As Presidential Running Mate, Withdraws Support

Published

10 hours ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

Actor turned politician, Mr Kenneth Okonkwo, has rejected the choice of former Rivers State Governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, as the running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a statement on Monday, Mallam Bolaji Abdulllahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, announced the party’s choice of Mr Amaechi.
However in a statement, Mr Okonkwo said that the choice of Mr Amaechi from the South South strengthens the continued marginalization of people from the South East.
According to the former spokesperson of the Labour Party, any arrangement that would not factor a person from the South East either as president or vice president in the party is anti-Igbo.
He contended that Chief Raph Nwosu, who founded the ADC in 2005 and willingly surrendered it’s leadership to Senator David Mark did not do so to entrench Igbo marginalization in the party.
The former actor said: “I heard from the social media that ADC has picked its vice presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East.
“This geo-political zone has neither produced a president or vice president since 1999. To deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the president or vice president in the ADC in 2027, will amount to perpetuating the marginalisation.
“The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu from the South-East in 2005. He made the sacrifice to give up the party in 2025 for the coalition to usher in a better Nigeria. He couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people.
“I did not join the coalition to assist in marginalisation of my own people further. I am of the opinion that if we made a sacrifice to give up the national chairman and the president, it will amount to unpardonable injustice to deny us the vice president in 2027.
“I joined politics to fight for a better Nigeria where no region, geo-political zone, or person will be marginalised.
“The only favour I asked Atiku Abubakar, who openly declared that he is the pathway to the presidency of the South-East, is to show it by choosing someone from the South-East to be his vice.
“If it is confirmed that he has chosen a candidate from the South-South, I wish him well. I am not favourably disposed to campaigning for any presidential ticket that does not have a person of South-East origin as president or vice in 2027”

Politics

2027: Tinubu’s Projects Give APC Edge In South East – Yilwatda

Published

10 hours ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, on Monday said that the numerous projects being executed by President Bola Tinubu across the states in the southeast will give him upper hand over other presidential candidates during next year’s general elections.
Prof. Yilwatda stated this at the Abakaliki Township Stadium during a mega rally organized by the Ebonyi State government and Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, during which President Tinubu and other APC candidates for the 2027 general elections were adopted.
According to the APC National Chairman, no President had done for the southeast region what President Tinubu has done for them and expressed the confidence that the president would not only win in Ebonyi State but in the entire South East.
Prof. Yilwatda also used the occasion to address growing insinuations in some quarters that Ebonyi State had been conceded to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dismissing the claim, Prof. Yilwatda said the state would not allow the PDP to win any position in the forthcoming general election.
“We will return President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Francis Nwifuru as Governor of Ebonyi State in 2027.
“We want to return all APC senators, members of the House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates in 2027.
“Nobody has conceded Ebonyi to the PDP. Therefore, there is no vacancy in Ebonyi State. Ebonyi PDP has no place, and there is no vacancy at all in the Government House come 2027,” the APC National Chairman declared.
He commended the people of the state for their support for President Tinubu and urged them to re-elect him in the next presidential election in appreciation of what he has done for the state and the entire South-East through infrastructural transformation and human capital development.
Governor Francis Nwifuru, who also spoke at the event, said the state had no other presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections apart from President Tinubu.

He declared that Ebonyi remained a stronghold of the APC and vowed that the party would deliver the President in the state.

Gov. Nwifuru said President Tinubu had shown exceptional commitment to the state and deserved total support for appointing Senator Umahi as Minister of Works, a role he said Senator Umahi had performed creditably.

“Ebonyi has no other presidential candidate apart from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and we will return him in the presidential election.

“We are standing here today to tell the whole world, especially those using the President’s name to orchestrate division and confusion in this great state, that we have only one party, and that is the APC.

“This statement became necessary because some people are going around claiming they have discussed with Mr President and that he has handed Ebonyi over to the PDP. They are also saying that Chief Nyesom Wike is their leader and that Wike said the President has given Ebonyi to him.

“Ebonyi is not for sale. We are restraining ourselves because the people are with us. Nobody should push us because we have what it takes to confront anyone trying to destabilise us.

“We want to tell Mr President that he has earned our votes. He gave us what we had never had in Eastern Nigeria — the office of the Minister of Works. And this Minister of Works is not sitting idle; he is working,” he stated.

Senator Umahi, in his remarks, said President Tinubu had done what no other President had done for Ebonyi State and the entire South-East by executing numerous projects across the state and the region.

“Ebonyi State is a one-party state under Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. We are not going to repeat the mistakes of the past.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done a lot, not just for Ebonyi State but for the entire South-East and other geopolitical zones,” he said.