Falana: Pro-Jang Group Lawless

Femi Falana (SAN), A human rights activist, has described the controversies generated by the outcome of recent poll conducted by members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) as a product of unbridled recklessness even as he said that the pro- Governor Jonah Jang group is lawless.

The video showed that Governor Jonah Jang was in an early lead but was soon overtaken by Governor Rotimi Amaechi who was returned as the Chairman of the NGF for a second term.

The video also showed that the governors participated in the counting of the votes. But, Jang supported by some governors have been claiming he is the one chosen as the Chairman of the Forum.

But reacting to the controversy Falana in a chat with our source yesterday, urged the people to hold pro Jang governors accountable for misinforming the country on the outcome.

The ranks of the NGF were split when the outcome of an election to fill the chairmanship was won by Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi who polled 19 votes to Governor Jonah Jang’s 16.

Smarting from the defeat, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio cried foul saying the process that threw up Amaechi was flawed.

In the ensuing confusion, the Akpabio led faction threw its weight behind Jang, maintaining that the Plateau Governor actually won the polls.

But a new video of proceedings by one of the participants put a lie to Akpabio’s claim.

Commenting on the controversies generated by the outcome, Falana stated that it was a dress rehearsal to what awaits the country in 2015, with a call on Nigerians to urge the pro-Jang group to react to the video.

“There is no doubt that elections were held and a winner emerged from the process but what happened was that a gang decided to be lawless by not accepting the outcome since it did not go their way.” He said.

According to the senior advocate, the people must rise to challenge the Jang/ Akpabio group for their insincerity in the light of this new evidence regarding what transpired that day.

“We must ask this gang to prove that the contents of the video were not true and come out with their own version of what occurred. If they don’t and they go about the way they are going, I am afraid that this could be a dress rehearsal to what to expect in 2015,” he said.