Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso has vowed in very clear terms that the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) leadership will not succumb to the pressure from President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP to dump the genuine winner of the election, Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
Kwankwaso, who spoke with reporters at the Kano Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, said the G-19 voted for Amaechi after obtaining a commitment from him that he would not give up under any circumstance.
“This party belongs to all of us, it does not belong to the governors; it doesn’t belong to president or it doesn’t belong to the party chairman; it doesn’t belong to anybody…
Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso has vowed in very clear terms that the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) leadership will not succumb to the pressure from President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP to dump the genuine winner of the election, Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
Kwankwaso, who spoke with reporters at the Kano Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, said the G-19 voted for Amaechi after obtaining a commitment from him that he would not give up under any circumstance.
“This party belongs to all of us, it does not belong to the governors; it doesn’t belong to president or it doesn’t belong to the party chairman; it doesn’t belong to anybody…
“We have invested so much in this party, I don’t think any governor is thinking of leaving this party but if you are suspended, dismissed or expelled, of course there are no options.
“That is why we are saying, and I can assure you, all the governors who voted for Amaechi consider this suspension as suspension to all of us; not to Amaechi, not to Governor of Sokoto. We are even surprised it started from there. I think there are bigger fish than Amaechi and Governor of Sokoto. Many of us are disappointed that it started from there.
“On this issue, we entrusted Amaechi with only two tasks. One is campaign, talk to the opposition because it is Nigeria Governors’ Forum; it is not PDP Governors Forum. Talk to them because you are the candidate; talk to them, probably it may suit them to vote for you. The second option is, hang up to the contest; can you hold it? He said ‘yes’. “Now, I can tell you, Amaechi cannot withdraw without our approval. Anybody who is saying Amaechi should withdraw is wasting his time because that is not in the agreement between us and Amaechi. We gave only two tasks to Amaechi and he did well.
“The problem we have in the party now is that we don’t have anywhere to go and say our minds and that was why our founding fathers of this party say in the constitution that at least, every three months we should meet. These are the issues. We should communicate among ourselves and that is the only way but the time we start washing our linens outside, then it becomes a disaster.”
Kwankwaso warned the PDP leadership against reckless recourse to suspension or dismissal of governors, saying it could leave them no choice but to dump the party and see to its collapse.
