Commissioner hails Ameachi’s re-election as NGF chairman

The re-election of Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State as chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum is an indication of the commitment of governors to democracy.
“The re-election is just another indication that the governors are committed to democracy and the rule of law,” Ibim Seminatari, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Abuja.
Seminatari described Amaechi’s re-election as “God’s doing”, adding that man could not have ensured the governor’s victory in the election Ameachi contested against Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State.
She said: “We know that only God could have done it, no man could have done it.
“And so, we remain humble and grateful to God knowing that it is His doing and it is marvellous in our eyes.”
Amaechi won the election with 19 votes to beat Jang, who polled 16 votes.
However, the result of the election was still being contested by 18 governors in the camp of Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State.
Akpabio, who is the chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, told newsmen after the election on Friday that the result was not valid.
He said the 18 governors had endorsed Jang as their candidate before the election.
NAN reports that Friday’s election was the first time an election would be conducted for the position of NGF chairman as it had always been done through consensus.
The forum’s pioneer chairman was Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the then governor of Nasarawa State, who held the position from 1999 to 2004.
Chief Victor Attah, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, succeeded him and held the position from 2004 to 2006 before he was replaced by Chief Lucky Igbinedion the former governor of Edo State.
Senator Bukola Saraki, the former governor of Kwara State, succeeded Igbinedion and led the forum from 2007 to 2011.
The exit of Saraki from the forum paved the way for Amaechi who was unanimously chosen by the governors in 2011.