NGF Chairmanship: Presidency Lied – Amaechi

Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has said the Presidency lied on who is the authentic chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), saying that he remained the only duly elected chairman of the forum, and not Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State.

Special Adviser to the President of Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, had on Monday said President Goodluck Jonathan did not recognise the Rivers State governor as chairman of the NGF, hence his absence at the governors’ summit held in Sokoto last weekend.

Amaechi, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday and signed by his chief press secretary, David Iyofor, accused Gulak of attempting to paint the Presidency, under Jonathan as a partisan undemocratic Presidency that has no regard or respect for the peoples' mandate expressed through the ballot box.

The statement said: “Again, Ahmed Gulak, the Presidential Adviser on Political Matters displayed his complete contemptuous lack of basic democratic tenets and principles and sadly painted the President Goodluck Jonathan administration as undemocratic that had no regard or respect for the peoples' mandate expressed through the ballot box when he told PUNCH newspaper of Monday November 18, 2013 that the Presidency did not recognise Rivers State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as the duly elected Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum(NGF).  

“Not done yet, Gulak digged-in further to say Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang who lost the NGF chairmanship election to Governor Amaechi is the NGF chairman recognised by President Goodluck Jonathan! Haba! It is a known fact that in the election for the chairman of NGF held on May 24, 2013, Governor Amaechi got the mandate of the majority of his colleague governors to continue to serve as their chairman when 19 governors voted for him as against 16 that voted for Governor Jonah Jang. 19 is always greater than 16. It is that simple!

“But for the Jonathan Presidency (according to Gulak) 16 is greater 19! We, like most Nigerians, are further saddened that the likes of Gulak in the Presidency are so ignorant and totally bereft of substance that they lack the capacity to comprehend the quantum of damage comments like that do to the President and the Presidency, they are paid with taxpayers money to serve and protect," it said.

The governor stated that he was fully convinced that Gulak spoke out of his own volition as he did not get the directives of President Jonathan before making the statements, saying his comments were rude, uncharitable, ill-mannered and nonsensical.

The statement said: "It is certainly rude, uncharitable and ill-mannered for Gulak, an appointed aide to condescendingly, derisively and superciliously refer to elected governors as ‘Amaechi Governors Forum’. Ahmed Gulak and his likes in the Presidency must be told in unambiguous terms that the Governors Forum is the internal business of the governors and who becomes their chairman can only be determined by the governors.

“And for now, the majority of governors have democratically elected Governor Amaechi to serve as their chairman. Governor Amaechi remains the only authentic chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. Casting nasty aspersions on governors elected by their people will never change that fact.

“Finally, we want to assume that bigmouthed Gulak who talks first, then think later was only speaking his wrenched and warped mind; and speaking for himself and not for our dear President, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“This is why it is imperative and pertinent for the Presidency to dissociate itself and President Goodluck Jonathan from the unbefitting, perverse, delinquent, and pigheaded comment of Gulak on who is the authentic chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum.”