By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Governor David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi has made a 360 degrees turn on his earlier demand that the next President of Nigeria must come from the South East geopolitical zone, saying that it was not his main aim of running for his ill-fated All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election.
Also, he has debunked the insinuation of him not supporting the Presidential ambition of his fellow South Easterner and presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi
Speaking on Arise Television breakfast programme The Morning Show, monitored in Abuja on Friday, Umahi said his failure to pick the APC Presidential ticket at the party’s presidential primary election in Abuja which was won by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was an “Act of God”.
According to the Governor who decamped from the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling APC on account of trying to realise his ambition to be President of Nigeria, argued that he never moved to APC solely for the political again.
Said he: “I don’t want to speak on my inability to secure the Presidential ticket of APC. I have taken what happened to me as an Act of God. I left the PDP because after the South East has supported the party since 1999, it is not ready to yield the Presidency to the region. Those who criticised me then have also left the party”.
Asked what he will do now that he did not get the Presidency, he said he is a party man who took an oath to support the party, saying that everyone in APC in Ebonyi state swore an oath to support the APC.
On his widely circulated statement that Ebonyi state will not vote for Peter Obi and his Labour Party in the February 2023 Presidential Election, Umahi denied making such statement as blamed the misinformed on social media.
“PDP in Ebonyi state is seriously dwindling and the only thing that they do is to spread rumours. I never said I and Ebonyi people will not vote for Peter Obi who is my brother and friend.
When the campaign starts, I will host my brother Peter Obi (the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party) in my state. I don’t have any problems with him”, the Governor stated.
