Video Of Nigerian Governors Forum Election Goes Viral On Internet

Footage of the recently conducted Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) election went viral on the Internet on Tuesday, as a steady trickle of people gradually gathered in their offices, homes and business centres to watch the video and even post it to friends and acquitances on Youtube, moments after it became popular online.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, claimed he was recording the sequence of events, when a suspecting colleague asked to know what he was doing with his mobile phone.

The recording captured the momentous parts of the secret ballot which was noisy and disorderly.

Nonetheless, at the end of the vote count by the Director General of the Forum, Mr Asishana Okauru, keenly supervised by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State secured 19 votes to defeat his challenger, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, who polled 16 votes.

The counting of votes was collectively done.

It was a charged atmosphere.

The gathering of first citizens of Nigeria’s 36 states to elect a leader among themselves was preceded by a rowdy session.

As if on a film location, after the election, Governor Fayemi of Ekiti State, standing close to Governor Ahmed Abdulfatah of Kwara State, charged at the presiding officer to start counting.

It was a tensed session as the returning officer was somehow reluctant to count the votes initially. Governor Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State and Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State were seen on the same row with Fayemi, when a voice suddenly yelled: “Osun, what is that?” obviously talking to Governor Aregbesola, adding: “What are you doing there?” as if trying to caution him against an unpalatable development.

An unidentified governor angrily charged at Aregbesola when he suspected his action, asking for what he was doing with his phone.

Aregbesola replied that he was recording the proceedings.

Furthermore, Aregbesola, believed to be a supporter of Governor Amaechi, in his characteristic manner asked: “Can you repeat yourself… come again, what did you say? Can you repeat yourself?”

At this point, Fayemi and Abdulfatah intervened, calming him down (Aregbesola), speaking in Yoruba, “egbon e ma se be,” which means “senior, don’t do that.”

Not minding whose ox is gored, Aregbesola was quick to repeat that he was recording the proceeding.

“I am recording, I want to be sure that nobody does anything wrong here,” Aregbesola said.

“Why are you videoing me,” Governor Akpabio, who had already left his front seat and had gone to the back to queried Aregbesola,” but Fayemi quickly intervened, saying, “he is not videoing you.”

They eventually laughed over the matter and they all calmed down for the vote count.

The returning officer, supervised by Governor Uduaghan of Delta State, counted the total vote cast to be 35.