By Danielle Lobito
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN)
Governors shift battle to court
The fight for the control of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum between Rivers Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and Plateau Governor, Jonah Jang, took a different turn on Friday as pro-Ameachi governors, represented by Lagos Governor, Babatunde Fashola, went to court to stop Jang from parading himself as the chairman of the NGF.
Fashola, who filed the suit at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in his capacity as a member of the forum, asked the court to declare that Jang is not competent to be called the elected chairman of the NGF.
—Punch
Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola
Amaechi further disclosed that he tried to stop the election from being recorded by Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State because of the concerns raised by his colleagues, but the video recording turned out to be his saving grace.
—ThisDay
According to ThisDay and Osun Defender newspapers, Governor Rauf Aregbesola (aka Ogbeni) of Osun State is the governor who recorded the Nigeria Governors' Forum 2013 election. There are video and audio clips of the election on YouTube et al. It is unknown if more than one governor recorded the election. Irrespective of the exhibit, the Jang Gang told fat lies that the election was not free and fair.
Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State said that the video was manipulated. He probably said that for participating in a ruse camp, forum or Jang Gang as a popular active member. Mimiko should stop the motor park or Bolekaja politics and not add insult to injury. Even Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio who was highly involved in dismantling the former forum has not used Bolekaja politics like Mimiko. May they not turn themselves into African motor park thugs because of politics?
Members of the public should be aware of the Jang Gang. If you have any business deal or agreement with a Nigerian Governor who is a member of the Jang Gang, make sure you record the event or scenario for your own good or legal evidence. A word is enough for the wise. The Jang Gang cannot be trusted. We hope the International Community is 'following' their moves and motives for future reference.
According to various reports, the Jang Gang claims that there was a consensus meeting before the NGF election among Northern governors and they all allegedly agreed to vote for Governor Jonah David Jang therefore it was easy for them to assume that Jang would win the election.
At the election venue, some Northern governors had second thoughts and changed their minds by voting for Governor Rotimi Amaechi who had previously used the NGF to fight the Presidency for cheating state governors of their rights by reducing their federal revenue allocation during his first tenure as NGF chairman. The national coordinator of Concerned Democrats of Conscience Ibrahim Modibbo said that he does not believe that there was a consensus before the election. He told Channels TV that Jang became a candidate on election day.
The barbaric and flimsy argument of the Gang Jang is that Jang won the election before the election took place and should be the winner. That was why Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State pulled out of NGF while supporting Jang and blamed Governor Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State for the crisis. The PDP needs to change the policy of winning at all costs before election because it is undemocratic and dangerous for the upcoming 2015 elections. We wonder if most PDP elections were credible.
Jang Gang opened a website and moved to a new office after 'attempts to hack into the website of the original governors' forum'. The shameless Jang Gang had the effrontery to invite Governor Amaechi to its new office. What for? President Goodluck Jonathan endorsed the illegal forum aka Jang Gang. Nevertheless, the Northern governors have endorsed Governor Rotimi Amaechi as the chairman of NGF. It could be something for the Jang Gang to worry about.
Nigeria Governors Forum
NGF election video was manipulated – Mimiko
NGF crisis: Aliyu, Yuguda disagree, trade blames
NGF: Babangida Aliyu Sold Us Out, Says Yuguda
Jang invites Amaechi to NGF's new office opening
Jang's faction of Nigeria Governors' Forum launches website
Group of 7 PDP Governors Move to Float 'Third Force'
