Politics
NGF Election: Matters Arising
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
Governor Douye Diri has set a target of at least one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in Bayelsa State in the 2027 presidential election, while charging the newly inaugurated All Progressives Congress (APC) State Campaign Council to prioritise reconciliation, party unity and collective electoral mobilisation.
Governor Diri gave the charge at the inauguration of the 20-member campaign council at the APC secretariat in Yenagoa, where he warned that internal divisions could undermine the party’s efforts to secure victory for President Tinubu and other candidates at the federal and state levels.
Governor Diri urged party members who were not appointed to the council to support its activities by taking the APC’s message to communities, wards and polling units across the state.
He specifically charged the campaign team to mobilise at least one million votes for President Tinubu, arguing that Bayelsa’s voting strength had increased and should be reflected in the 2027 election results.
“I give you a target that in Bayelsa, we must not bring less than one million votes for Mr President. You are going to campaign, and you have a lot to talk about the President. He has done so much for our people,” the governor said.
He listed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the second phase of the Nembe-Brass Road, interventions in the power sector, federal appointments for Bayelsa indigenes and the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy among the achievements the campaign should present to voters.
The governor particularly praised President Tinubu for the coastal highway project, arguing that it reflected federal attention to the development needs of coastal communities.
“No president, alive or dead, has remembered the coastal people and coastal states to say let us do this signature project from Lagos to Calabar. The first president to think about it is Bola Tinubu, and those were the demands of the Ijaw people,” he said.
Governor Diri also expressed hope that a second term for President Tinubu would provide an opportunity to advance demands for fiscal federalism, greater resource control and state policing, which he described as longstanding aspirations of the Niger Delta.
He said the President had shown indications of addressing some of the demands of younger Nigerians and argued that re-election would allow the administration to consolidate its reforms.
The governor further cautioned campaigners against personal attacks and abusive exchanges with political opponents, insisting that the APC should focus its campaign on issues, policies and achievements.
The governor’s mobilisation directive comes amid criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has questioned his commitment to President Tinubu’s re-election campaign, alleging that APC campaign billboards erected across Yenagoa promote other party candidates without featuring the President.
The PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Mr Ikaebimo Mark, said the billboards showed Governor Diri urging voters to support APC candidates for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections without identifying President Tinubu as the party’s presidential candidate.
Mr Mark described the omission as an indication that the governor was not fully aligned with the APC’s national leadership.
“When we said that the governor, Senator Douye Diri, is not supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we knew exactly what we were saying. Now Governor Douye Diri has erected APC campaign billboards across Bayelsa State without Tinubu’s picture. He is even afraid to associate himself with the photograph of the presidential candidate of his own party. How can this governor claim to be supporting President Tinubu?” he said.
The PDP, however, maintained that the governor’s public campaign posture raised questions about his commitment to the President’s re-election bid. Its allegation over the billboards now places the issue of the relationship between the state APC leadership and the party’s national campaign among the political questions likely to feature in Bayelsa’s preparations for 2027.
The PDP’s allegation has introduced a fresh political dimension to the APC’s preparations in Bayelsa, even as Governor Diri publicly called on party leaders and members to close ranks and mobilise support for all its candidates.
“Every person picked as a member of this campaign council was carefully scrutinised. I want to tell you that our campaign team is loaded. We parade the best candidates among all the parties in Bayelsa State, and there is no doubt about that,” he said.
He urged members to remain focused and united, warning that political opponents could exploit any divisions within the party.
“Our unity is very important because they would want to feast on our disunity. We will not give them that opportunity. Please, as you carry out this assignment, do not take your eyes off the target,” Hon. Ogoriba said.
SP Edafe explained that during the meeting, the organisers were briefed on the identified security threats and advised against embarking on an open-road procession.
Instead, the police reportedly recommended that the political activities be conducted at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
However, the Command alleged that the organisers disregarded the security advice and proceeded with the road procession.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Government has condemned the political violence that erupted in Asaba, the state capital, on Saturday, confirming that one person was killed while four others sustained serious injuries.
The government described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable, warning political parties and their supporters against actions capable of threatening public peace, security and democratic participation in the state.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, the government reiterated its zero tolerance for political violence, intimidation and other forms of political misconduct.
Mr Aniagwu said the government had repeatedly cautioned political parties against engaging in activities capable of disrupting the peace, insisting that the incident could have been avoided if the organisers had followed security advice.
According to him, the police had advised the organisers to cancel the proposed street march and instead conduct their political campaign at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
He expressed concern that the advice was allegedly disregarded, resulting in a confrontation that claimed one life and left four other people seriously injured.
The government subsequently called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the violence and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
Mr Aniagwu further warned that the state government would not tolerate politically motivated attacks against any individual, regardless of political affiliation.
He maintained that Delta State remained safe for residents and visitors, stressing that the government would not allow the actions of individuals or groups to undermine the prevailing peace and security in the state.
The government also urged political parties, their leaders and supporters to conduct their political activities within the confines of the law and demonstrate respect for human life, public order and the rights of other citizens.
The latest development follows an attack on supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) during a political procession in Asaba, which reportedly left several participants injured and campaign vehicles vandalised.
The government’s condemnation comes amid growing concerns over political violence and the safety of opposition supporters as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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