Presidential Adviser on Political Matters, for his contemptuous lack
of basic democratic tenets and principles, and challenged President
Goodluck Jonathan to dissociate himself from the perverse remarks his
adviser made in the press.
In a statement today by David Iyofor, Spokesman to Governor Amaechi,
the Rivers State Government said Mr. Gulak sadly painted the President
Goodluck Jonathan presidency as a partisan and undemocratic one with
no regard or respect for the peoples' mandate expressed through the
ballot box.
The government was responding to comments by Mr. Gulak in The PUNCH
newspaper today that the Presidency does not recognize Rivers State
Governor, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as the duly elected Chairman of
Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF).
Commenting on a retreat of the NGF in Sokoto on Saturday, Mr. Gulak
told the newspaper that Mr. Jonathan recognizes the faction led by
Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang.
"What happened in Sokoto was not a retreat for the Nigeria Governors'
Forum," he said. "It was an event for Amaechi Governors Forum. As far
as the President is concerned, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State is
the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum and not Amaechi."
The Rivers State Government reminded Mr. Gulak that at the NGF
chairman held last May, Governor Amaechi defeated Governor Jang by 19
votes to 16.
"But for the Jonathan Presidency (according to Gulak) 16 is greater
19!" the statement said.
"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. By his comments in PUNCH,
repugnant Gulak just told Nigerians and the world, that the Presidency
(off course with President Jonathan) do not respect, have no regard
and do not recognized the result of a free and fair voting process
that produced a clear winner in the person of Governor Amaechi."
It warned that the issue is not about Governor Amaechi, but about
respecting and recognizing a democratic, electoral process that
produced a winner.
It described as "rude, uncharitable, ill-mannered and nonsensical" 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 the governors alone; and certainly not the
Presidency. 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."
The Rivers State Government expressed the hope that in his remarks to
The Punch, Gulak was only speaking his "wrenched and warped" mind.
"We want to assume that his comment to PUNCH which is an obnoxious and
futile attempt to distort the fact was not authorized by President
Goodluck 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."
Analysts say that by directly challenging President Jonathan to
declare his stand openly on this matter, the Rivers State Government
in effect challenges him to declare whether he will stand for rigged
elections and processes to benefit himself, his presidency and his
faction of the Peoples Democratic Party as the country looks forward
to the 2015 watershed elections.
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