‘Authentic NGF Meeting Holds, Soon’

Re-elected Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum(NGF) and governor of Rivers State, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi, says the forum headed by him will soon call for a meeting as the Jang group has failed to get majority of governors who stand for democracy and truth

Amaechi gave the hint yesterday when he played host to former Minister of Petroleum, Prof Tam David-West who paid a solidarity visit to him in Government House, Port Harcourt.

The Rivers State governor said the meeting he would summon would show Nigerians that Jang was claiming a position which he is not popular or duly recognised.

He also said those who recognise Jang as NGF chairman were undemocratic, “ Jang is undemocratic because even himself will not accept any election that does not favour him’’.

“ Yesterday, my friend and brother, the governor of Plateau State convened a meeting of some governors, to prove that we won the elections only 16 governors went. And he has never held a meeting where they are more than 16 governors,’’ Amaechi said, “ We shall soon call our own meeting’’.

The two-term chairman of the NGF reiterated that the group would no longer watch Jang decieve the public and disrespect the wishes of majority of governors who voted for him, emphasising that the Plateau State governor had shown that he was not a democrat.

In the words of Amaechi, “ we have been trying to talk everybody to reason why we need to be together as a country and respect democracy. It appears that their non- acceptance of the will of the governors is undemocratic.

“And if they are undemocratic they should not have put themselves forward for elections, because you don’t accept results when you don’t win,’’ he stressed.

He pointed out that what was happening in NGF was a sign of what would happen in 2015, but insisted that votes must count to reflect the people’s wish.

Earlier, Prof David-West described the problem in the NGF as ‘’signs of strange times in Nigeria’’, while wondering how 16 had become greater than 19 in number.

Urging Amaechi to be steadfast, the social critic assured him that he would triumph at the end of the day.

The ex- Minister lashed at Governor Akpabio for condescending to be used instead of standing for the truth, “ I’am sure you are going to come out of this. I’am sure that 19 is bigger than 16,’’ he told Amaechi.