A legal practitioner, Onyekachi Ubani on Monday said the inability of the ‘First Citizens’ of the country, the 36 members of the Nigeria Governors Forum, to conduct a rancour free election portends bad omen for the general elections which will hold in 2015.
“There is really big problem for us as a nation.” He said.
Some members of the forum on Friday rejected the re-election of Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers as the Chairman of the forum. A faction of the forum, dominated by governors of the People’s Democratic Party, insists that Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau state is the actual winner.
Mr Ubani while speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily described the crisis as appalling and sad. He also said that Nigerians are not happy with the forum.
“If 35 governors could not conduct … a free, fair and credible election that produces a chairman of their forum in a manner that is less controversial, then you can imagine when we have election in 2015 that involves the entire country.”
“It is very appalling, it’s very sad and Nigerians are not happy… It portends bad omen.” He said.
He said that Nigerians are not happy with that forum in the first place because the members of the group “have lost focus.” He added that the reason for setting up the forum is no longer adhered to as a result of members seeking after ‘self-interest.’
He explained that the NGF was established for peer review as well as engaging government in some of the developmental strides. He however said that this is no longer the case.
“The concentration is now on self-interest.” He said.
Mr Ubani said that although individual governors are trying in their various states, “Nigerians are not benefitting anything” from the NGF as a whole.
“People are not getting good governance as a result of that group.” He said.
