Amaechi rigged NGF election, insists Mimiko

GOVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, on Wednesday, declared that his Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, rigged last Friday’s Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) election in Abuja.

Mimiko said it was unfortunate that Amaechi has deployed the use of propaganda to win the sympathy of Nigerians.

Speaking in Akure, the Ondo State capital on activities marking Democracy Day, he said: “Governor Amaechi has not told Nigerians all he knows about the manipulation that took place during the election. People have not asked Governor Amaechi why an outgoing chairman, who wants to contest election, did not step aside before conducting the election. He was the one that printed the ballot paper, he was the one that brought the ballot papers and Nigerians are not asking him those questions.

“After they held the election, they asked me to come and be their Vice Chairman and I declined. The issue was that if you want to contest for election in old boys association, step down and put a neutral person to conduct the election.

“Now, they said they have a video tape and the meeting lasted for three hours and they cannot show video of 10 minutes. Let them show you the video of three hours and you will see what transpired before the so-called election.

“I remembered that I told them that it can never be done that way. And somebody asked me a question that by the time I wanted to contest election, why didn’t I resign before the election. I answered if I wanted to contest and I am the INEC, I wouldn’t not go ahead to campaign. I will just stay in my room and write the result.

“You wanted to recontest, you have printed the ballot papers, no serial number and you brought in the ballot boxes, we don’t know the amount of the ballot papers you brought in, some were still arguing and some people said they have started voting. We said we doubted the integrity of the ballot papers and any governor that cannot stand for what he believes is not worthy to be a governor.

“You said you have 19 votes and at our inaugural meeting, 18 were physically present, the integrity of those ballot papers must be called to question. Eighteen people stood and said this is our signatures, when people play victims, they get the sympathy of the people. This is what Amaechi is doing. Playing the victim to get sympathy.”