The Rivers State Governor has debunked allegations of rigging during the recently conducted Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) elections. The Governor speaking through the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari,said there was no rigging as it is impossible to rig an election among equals.
He said, “You don’t rig an election among equals. You don’t rig an election and win by three votes. If anybody should complain, it should be Amaechi because his opponent picked the form few hours to the election.
“On the state PDP not recognising Amaechi as the winner of the NGF election; the truth is the state PDP has no locus standi on this matter. It is a matter among equals.
“I believe the governors who own the forum know who their chairman is. The fact is that the people in Port Harcourt and Rivers as a whole are excited over the victory.”
A coalition of governors’ who campaigned against the emergence of Amaechi have publicly disputed the outcome of the elections. Governor Akpabio has insisted that it was the turn for the Chairmanship of the NGF to be zoned to the North and the PDP governors who represent a majority with 19 states had picked a consensus candidate in the person of Jonah Jang of Plateau.
Akpabio said, “Yesterday, even before the formal meeting of the governors’ forum, it was agreed the chairmanship of the forum be zoned to the PDP which is the party with the largest number of governors in the forum.
“There was a meeting of the PDP Governors’ Forum. The decision of the Northern Governors’ Forum was announced and you need to know that as Nigerians, that chairmanship of the forum should be two years in the South and two years in the North.
“That has been the resolution of the governors. And so it was incumbent upon the northern governors’ forum to meet to bring out the leadership before presenting it to the governors’ forum.
“Yesterday, Governor Aliyu Babangida who is the chairman together with Governor Suswam of Benue came up with Jang as the new chairman and presented him to the PDP governors’ forum and accordingly, the PDP governors’ forum formally adopted Jang.
“The PDP Governors’ Forum would work with Jang as chairman and Mimiko as vice-chairman of the NGF.”
Liyel Imoke, Chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum also said, “The South-South governors participated in the process that led to the emergence of Jang.
“Of course the South-South had always stood behind this administration, we will continue to do that and we will continue to support the new chairman and his vice to succeed.
“We team up with the governor to make sure that there is no bad signal in the governors’ forum and forge ahead to ensure that we have a united country moving forward.”
Gabriel Suswam, vice-chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum added, “Yesterday (Friday), the meeting of the northern governors unanimously adopted the new leadership led by Jang and the northern governors are strongly behind the new leadership of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum led by Jang and supported by Mimiko, the Iroko.”
Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shema said, “Until yesterday (Friday) morning, myself and Governor Yuguda of Bauchi and Amaechi of Rivers scheduled to vie for the election.
“But in the interest of peace and prosperity, we honoured the governors’ forum as myself and Yuguda decided to step down to allow the Northern Governors’ Forum to produce a candidate acceptable to all of us.
“And the northern governors on their own decided to adopt a consensus candidate in the person of the Governor of Plateau State who was presented to the PDP Governors’ Forum and was graciously accepted and they applauded the effort of both myself and Yuguda for making sure that the governors’ forum continue to serve the interest of this nation.
“Our position is that we stepped down to honour this nation and this forum so that we can have a united front.”
In the same vein, “Yuguda said, “19 of them endorsed Jang.”