by Isi Esene

The embattled governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi has vowed to recontest the chairmanship of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF) whether he emerges victorious or not.

Amaechi, who has complained of victimisation over the manner he heads the NGF disclosed this on Monday at a special church service organised by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt, Most Reverend Camillus Etukudo, at the Government House.

Amaechi attributed his current travails to his position as the Chairman of the NGF and went on to solicit for prayers for his success during the forthcoming election.

Her said, “I told my friends that I will run for the NGF election. The chairmanship position of the NGF is the genesis of this crisis (travails). Something similar to what is happening now happened in the past, and we prayed ourselves into power.

“When I’m asked a question, people expect me to tell a lie or bend it a bit; and suddenly it comes out straight. And when it comes out straight, people don’t like it.

“And my Catholic Priest told me that it is only me that will account for my soul before God, not even my wife will help me to account for my soul. So, if because of you, I bend it a bit, how will I answer to my God?”

Amaechi said contrary to the perception of people about him, he is neither proud of arrogant but only straightforward and honest.

“They say I am arrogant: I am brash, but it is not arrogance. Just because I look at you in the face and tell you the truth, people say it is arrogance,” he reportedly said.

The governor urged members of the State Executive Council to shun any form of distraction and remain focused in service delivery to the people of the state.

“The solidarity you (Etukudo) have shown to me and my wife today, we can only take it to God. We thank God for your presence here. One promise I will make to you is that I will continue to deliver on my promise to God and man that they can’t take away from us.

“They are just trying to distract us. You know, usually, governors begin well and sometimes end badly. If we allow them to distract us, we will end badly. So don’t you ever listen to anybody; they can’t do anything, knowing that God is behind us,” Amaechi stated.

Earlier, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt, Etukudo, had said the people and himself were at the Government House to pray for peace.

He said, “We are not part of politics, but we appreciate that you are not disturbed again. But we will continue to hand you over to God, because, your best friend today can become your worst enemy tomorrow and that is politics.

“But have the courage to change what you can change and also the serenity to accept what you cannot change. Ask from God the wisdom to know the difference.”