The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Rivers State has called for the removal of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as the chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).
In a statement made available to LEADERSHIP WEEKEND in Port Harcourt, the party accused Amaechi of using his position as NGF chairman to harass and intimidate his perceived political enemies.
The statement, which was signed by the party’s publicity secretary, Jerry Needam, said it was high time the National Assembly and the Rivers State House of Assembly rose to assert their authority and cut down the overbearing influence of the governor.
According to the statement, “The governor of Rivers State is using the forum to push for his personal presidential agenda which is not healthy for Nigeria’s nascent democracy. The only constitutionally recognised groups to check against the excesses of the executive and any abuse of office are the legislature and the judiciary, both of which operate under the critical and prying eyes of virile opposition as a democratic feature.
“The only constitutionally recognised groups to check against the excesses of the executive and any abuse of office are the legislature and the judiciary, both of which operate under the critical and prying eyes of virile opposition as a democratic feature.”
The ACN accused the governor of hiding under the NGF to attack President Goodluck Jonathan, lawmakers, as well as appoint and sack elected local government chairmen at will, adding that Amaechi was out to antagonise efforts of the federal government and people of the state.
It said: “We believe that the Governors’ Forum is a parallel federal government in Nigeria, and the chairman, Amaechi, a parallel president in the country, and must be stopped before they push the country into strangulation, having stagnated the economy already.