Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State on Tuesday expressed his determination to continue in office as chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, saying his mandate was authorized by majority of state governors.
Speaking at the NGF secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, the governor said that he will not bow to pressure to relinquish the position to his Plateau State counterpart, Governor Jonah Jang, whom he maintained was defeated in the election.
He also reassured staff at the office that the ongoing crisis will not affect the regular payment of their salaries.
In his words: “I think that as a secretariat, you should forget the internal dynamics of the politics of NGF.
“We are colleagues. When we talk among ourselves, you will understand that there are underlining factors that are making them to behave the way they are behaving, that you cannot take away.
“It is usually things that happen sometimes. It is beyond the control of the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum. But either way, be rest assured of your salaries.
He called on members of Governor Jang’s faction to return to the fold, insisting that there can never be two secretariats of the NGF.
When asked if he will surrender his re-election, Governor Amaechi replied sharply saying: “No, no, no. That is a mandate that was freely given and I will stick to that mandate.
“The election has come and gone. 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.
“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.”
Amaechi also warned politicians to be careful so that the ongoing crisis does not affect the 2015 election, insisting that Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State voted during the controversial election.
He said: “Again, tell my brother, Mimiko, that he voted. If he still says he did not vote, I am willing to go with him to his Church, Redeemed Church, we kneel on the alter and say it before God.
Amechi also said: “I want to urge Jang, because he said he is Christian, to know that God watches over everybody and whatever you say, say it according to God because beyond NGF, you and I know that there is heaven and you can’t go to heaven if you don’t tell the truth and stand by the truth.
“I am not saying he is not saying the truth, I am not saying he is not standing by the truth, I am just saying that nobody can go to heaven when he is not saying the truth.
“There is no special benefit that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum chairman is getting.
“I don’t see why there is this disagreement. When I read them saying I am desperate, desperate for what? “I am only proving a point that Nigerians are allowed to run for any post they want to run.
“And when they do and they are elected, they should stick to their mandates. That is the only point.
“My brothers, who are complaining not about the election, should come back and let’s work together. They must be willing, just as we are willing, to accept. “It is not really a battle. It is about God. I usually tell people, don’t win the battle and lose the war.
“I think all of us should come together and work for the interest of the nation and for the interest of the poor masses. “We should not allow our personal interest to override that of the nation. “It is important we consider the interest of the nation.”
While restating his respect for President Goodluck Jonathan, the NGF chairman, however, insisted that only the governors that gave him the mandate could ask him to step aside. He said: “When we say President, it is because he is the President of the country and all of us must be loyal to him.
“But my employers are the governors. If they wake up tomorrow and say chairman, you have to go, then I will go. But they must wake up and say so. Not somebody saying it on their behalf.”
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