Nigeria Councillors’ Forum (NCF) and leaders of Ogoni have pledged their support for Amaechi.
The chairman of the forum, Mr. Lesor Baranu Nwigbaranee, representing Ward 15 of Khana Constitutuency, at the end of its meeting in Port Harcourt yesterday, expressed their unwavering support for Amaechi, whose administration’s performance they rated very high, with a 95 per cent mark.
The councillors said they were expressing the minds of millions of Rivers people at the grassroots whom they represent and daily interact with.
They said their reaction was borne out of their belief that “except strategic stakeholders speak up, the wishes, aspirations and rights of the people of Rivers State as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution as amended, may be unjustly trampled upon”.
They dissociated themselves from any plan to cause a breakdown of law and order in the state and make the Amaechi administration unstable.
“We, and indeed the people we represent, shall not be part of any acts or actions instigated to cause breakdown of law and order in Rivers State. We are opposed to any measures, especially made in secret or through any uncanny means, to torpedo the Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi-led administration in the state.
“We are committed to the peace and development of Nigeria, the aspirations of the Peoples Democratic Party and its programmes and policies, especially with the mandate given to Chief G. U. Ake on March 17, 2012 as a cornerstone,” they said.
Not pleased with “undemocratic forces” outside the state heating up the polity, the councillors urged political stakeholders in the state to support Amaechi to achieve more for the people.
The forum said: “We condemn the heating up of the political atmosphere in the state with anti-democratic antics and call on political stakeholders to support elected representatives to do their work diligently.”
“We, as members of the Nigeria Councillors’ Forum, Rivers State Chapter, hereby score the Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi-led administration 95% in its overall performance thus far”.
They criticised those attempting to undermine Amaechi’s victory in the recent Nigeria Governors’ Forum election and expressed loyalty to President Goodluck Jonathan.
“We condemn every attempt by undemocratic forces to undermine the hard-earned victory of Governor Amaechi as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, which has been proclaimed free and fair by Nigerians from all walks of life.”
“We remain loyal to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and urge him to remain focused in his bid to transform Nigeria. In the same vein, we congratulate and identify with the developmental strides of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in education, health, agriculture, roads and human capital development which are very conspicuous in all the wards of the state.”
The Councillors’ Forum urged the Rivers State Governor not to be distracted and push ahead to make more unequalled achievements for Rivers people.
“Never before have we seen a political administration stay focused on delivering democracy dividends to its constituents. We will, therefore, stand by the Amaechi through thick and thin,” they concluded.
