(http://peoplesdailyng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Gov.-Rotimi-Amaechi.jpg) (http://peoplesdailyng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Gov.-Rotimi-Amaechi.jpg)By Lawrence Olaoye
There seems to be no end in sight to the controversy trailing the Chairmanship of the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) election. Its factional Chairman and Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday insisted that he would not surrender his mandate to anyone. Amaechi made the declaration yesterday while responding to newsmen after inspecting his faction's secretariat in Asokoro, Abuja while responding to question as to whether he would step down. He retorted: "No, no that is the mandate that was freely given and I will stick to that mandate."
The alternate Chairman, who is equally laying claims to the mandate, the Plateau state governor, Jonah Jang, had told newsmen last weekend that his faction has been making serious overtures to he Amaechi group with a view to reconciling them under his leadership.
But Amaechi's declaration that he would not play ball yesterday seems to have served a death knell on Jang's reconciliatory efforts. The Rivers state Governor equally disclosed that all governors, including his Ondo state counterpart, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who is the Deputy to Jang, actually voted.
Amaechi challenged his colleagues to strive to uphold democracy as he insisted that his victory at the NGF election was democracy at work. He said "The election has come and gone, like I said after the election... It was a test for democracy and democracy won at the end of the day. All we can do as democrats that were elected by the people is to uphold democracy and stand by democracy.
"I honestly do not know why the disagreement, I don't know why. Those of you who have been in meetings will realise that even when we hold meetings, whatever decisions we have taken have always been unanimous and those of you who listen I always say to them, I hope that having taken these decisions you will all stand by me and all of them will scream 'we will all stand by you."
Amaechi also expressed the hope that all issues surrounding the NGF election would be resolved just as he enjoined his colleagues to focus more on those things that unite them as a union and eschew those that may divide them.
He said "It was a meeting of 36 governors and then I think that whatever the issues are will be resolved. I think that we should focus more on those issues that unite us, those issues that fight against poverty, fight against polio and malaria. These are things that are killing the poor.
"We are busy here at Abuja and different state headquarters talking about NGF election, when indeed Nigerians are dying of poverty and hunger.
"I believe that my brothers and colleagues will see reason why we should stop distracting the country and get the country united to focus on development because at the end of the day, it is about legacy; it is about what we will leave behind for the people.
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