Michael Orodare: Amaechi’s doctored video footage cannot stand against the truth (Y! Politico)

by Michael Orodare

Gov. Jonah Jang

President Goodluck Jonathan assumed office, although, not loved by many but he is determined to rid Nigeria of impostors, dictators and emperors and ensure that votes do count.

Democracy, which has been described as a government of the people, for the people and by the people, is now being questioned in some quarters. Chief among those questions is credibility. Even if elections are free and fair, they may be said not be credible. Until last year when we had a credible election in Edo and Ondo states, elections in Nigeria since it returned to democratic rule, have been adjudged by both local and international observers as one that did not conform with the practice or principles of social equality which is the fundamental tenet of democracy.

GEJ factor

Things took a different turn since President Goodluck Jonathan assumed office, although, not loved by many but he is determined to rid Nigeria of impostors, dictators and emperors and ensure that votes do count. Perhaps, this can be adduced to PDP’s internal crisis. As we say in the south “No more Baba so pe.” The case of Edo and Ondo are clear examples and one cannot but give credit to the President, who has given INEC the free hand to operate. In a multiparty and fledgling democracy like Nigeria’s, constructive criticisms are welcome but oppositions in Nigeria do not see anything good in GEJ.  Even if he walks on the bar beach, ACN or APC will run to the media with a press release: “shame on Jonathan, he cannot swim” I ask: which is more difficult? To walk on the sea or to swim? It is absolutely illogical, you would say.

The recent election by 35 or 36 governors who are custodians of democratic culture at state levels is a pointer to the fact that Nigeria still wallows in ethnic chauvinism. Yes, democracy is the best form of government but it is largely dependent on the option you adopt; objective, electoral and what have you, whichever option you click, I subscribe!

Eye-witness’ account

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) supposed election which turned into a fiasco is getting me excited about this whole democracy, leadership and development thing. As a reporter following lead stories, I dedicated the whole Friday, having been accredited by an official, stood outside the Rivers Lodge for hours, waiting to break the news which is not far from what I had anticipated – Ameachi being rigged back into office. Well, I do not wish to bore you with the eye-witness account of the NGF election but there are questions I think Nigerians should start asking and stop being sympathetic; that election was conducted in the sitting room of the incumbent Chairman, that the Chairman vehemently refused to dissolve the executive before the so-called election, that ballot papers were produced by the Chairman and that they may have been pre-marked, that 19 out of 36 governors have endorsed Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, night before the so-called election, that those who voted Governor Rotimi Ameachi cannot come forward to publicly declare “we are the 19 Amaechi’s apostles” as we have seen in the case of Jang’s.

One thing is missing; the people involved in this case are fathers, grandfathers and great grand fathers who truly understand what they are fighting for but the same people, though governing the federating states, have little to no control over the most important policies that the government can use to increase employment and income generation, safely protect and defend its territory and above all, impeach the president. If you have agreed that they do not have the collective power to do the aforementioned, then you will agree that those fighting for truth or backing Jonah Jang must be angels who are equally saying charity must begin at home.

The amateur video

According to Governor Olusegun Mimiko who happens to be a beneficiary of a free and fair election, the video recording was just 5 minutes of a-3hour meeting. From whichever platform you watched it; cellphone, notebook, desktop the truth is, the short video footage has been doctored. Governor Jang was leading and at a point the video was out of sync – running hollow audio without a corresponding visual. People like Governor Mimiko has been known to be on the side of truth and cannot afford to be part of a fraudulent process. Why didn’t the video show him where he protested.

For Nigeria, For greater democracy

There has never existed ‘true’ Democracy, even in the Almighty America but what we do believe is that it is the wishes of the majority and now that the majority have spoken in favour of Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State. Wouldn’t we rather stick to that and move on? The state of emergency declared in some northern states calls for our attention, monitoring of progress report, prayer and media support for Mr. President.

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Michael Olanrewaju Orodare has worked in the Office of the Chief Press Secretary to the Ondo State Governor as a Media Assistant. He has garnered experience writing in the The Nation Newspaper working with the paper’s Sunday Desk. He leans towards the Labour Party. He blogs at www.michaelorodare.blogspot.com and tweets from @MichaelOrodare

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Comments (12)

  1. It does look like the Mr Orodare. is desperate to get a job. Let’s pray for him to get a honorable job fast. Else what he will continue to sell to us is capable of sending him to hell even from here on earth.

    leek john

  2. Shameful article by a man who should know better. How an educated man can talk about endorsements in a secret ballot election?? Wives go in the booth and vote against their husbands and you are here talking rubbish? Talking about audio quality and other rubbish. Were the votes counted in secret? People voted in a room, the votes were counted immediately thereafter, in the same room with the same voters and other witnesses present. You are just another paid journo writing thrash. How can a grown man not understand the concept of a secret ballot?? Wow!! Hope the money was good though.

  3. Ameachi has started a fruitless journey to political oblivion, he’s proving stronger than his boss, i pity the young man cos he has dug his political grave. If 10 governors says they dnt want you, why cant you leave d sit for another governor to ocupy.

  4. Chidi, what is wrong with being a PDP man? were you not in this same Nigeria when Gov Jang called a meeting under 24hrs and 18 Governors attended? Let us truly have those 19 who supported Amaechi publicly declared they did

  5. Mr. Mike, I have a question for you. The day Jang opened his NGF Secretariat, how many governors attended?? Was it not 16 governors. What happened to the other 19 governors? Did they suddenly disappear from the radar? Mr. Mike, you were not INSIDE the venue of the election and so couldn’t have known who and who voted. Your love for your master Mimiko who is a PDP man by extension is the reason for this lopsided opinion of yours.

  6. Michael Orodare is a man I have always respected and I know who won’t produce an illogical argument. In this case, what will it profit Gov Amaechi to loose the entire River State in a bid to want to become the Vice-President of Nigeria under yet-to-register APC. The question is; who is fooling who? We all know the real story now and all that happened behind the scene. thank you

  7. I sincerely appreciate the writer’s opinion. he has done a good work to open up what has been hidden from the public who naively sympathies with Gov. Amaechi. As regard the video, I am a cinematographer and I can see what has been done to this video. Sincerely, it is not tenable as it did not even show where voting took place. The election is a sham and it is a disgrace to pro-Amaechi Governors who think after what he (Amaechi) has done to the PDP and Rivers State he can secure the Vice-President slot come 2015. Let us re-think!!!

  8. Why would the 19 Ameachi voters come forward??? So the presidency can witch hunt them? Ameachi is going through it! Wamako of Sokoto is suspended, soon it”ll be Niger state Gov. The presidency is clearly over-reaching over a matter that adds NO value to the average living conditions of Nigerians.
    What Video did you watch???? The video was clear as day!! Weather you clowns in power in Nigeria like it or not Videos and cell phones must be used by ALL returning officers come 2015 as a matter of policy.

  9. I think there is more to what is happening now that My President Goodluck and His brother Gov Amechi failed to tell us., This issue is going far and the earlia it is address the better. CAN and PFM need to come in,let us not use politics and destroy what we labored

  10. Orodare’s argurment, if it could be called that , is what i view as hollow. It is verbiage without substance. I do not hold brief for either side on the NGF issue, but the rules of engagement must be clear. Orodare has failed to prove that the video was “doctored” as he has been asserting. The fact that some Governors were corralled into endorsing Jang’s candidacy is not evidence that the same people will vote for Gov. Jang. Again there was an election, the ballots were counted and there was no evidence over voting. There was no evidence of the puerile claim that the ballot papers were premarked. It was a fair election. Orodare’s attempt to distance Aso Rock from the problem flies in the face of what is now public knowledge. The constant challenge that those who voted for Amaechi shld come out publicly is a subtle form of blackmail. Aso Rock is playing dirty politics on this matter and for those Governors, coming ouy cld spell triuble. On the reverse side Jang is yet to predent the Governors that tilted the election in his favour, he has been trotting up and down with those that escorted him to tbe place of ignominy. Orodare please stop insulting our intelligence because you want to earn a living.

  11. Amaechi himself isn’t better than GEJ but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be credited for his victory!

  12. Sir, I watched a video of about 8 mins and the audio was very clear. It never went down. Jang was leading and Uduaghan was all smiles. Amaechi won and his countenance changed. . .
    Let’s face the fact, no Gov has denied the authenticity of the video. All they say is that it should not have been recorded. About the lame excuses which u are trumpeting about the venue and nature of the election, the 35 Govs knew b4 they went to vote. . . Crying foul only makes them BAD LOSERS. They are hanging on a pre-election agreement to dispute a political process which they participated in. Nigerians know better!

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