David Umahi
Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has confirmed his defection from the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the governing All Progressives Congress citing injustice done to the south-east PDP and wondered why the PDP is yet to zone the presidency to the region.
The governor confirmed his defection at a press conference in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital on Tuesday.
“I want to clear the air that I didn’t ask for PDP presidential ticket and I will not. So, anybody saying that I have gone to the APC because PDP didn’t zone the PDP presidential ticket to me is being mischievous because number one is that even if PDP promises an individual a presidential ticket, how does it work when over 8,000 delegates will be electing the persons and such promise cannot happen with more than ten or twenty people? So, people are being very mischievous about that.
“Some people said I was promised this and that before joining APC, there was no such discussion. APC never promised me any position, they never promised south-east any position, and there was no such discussion.
“However, I offered this movement as a protest to the injustice being done to the south-east by PDP. Since 1998, the south-east people have supported PDP in all elections; at a time the five states in the south-east were all PDP.
“One of the founding members of the PDP is from the southeast, His Excellency Dr Alex Ekwueme, the late former Vice President. So it is absurd that since 1998 going to 2023 that the southeast will never be considered to run for presidency under the ticket of the PDP, it is very absurd and this is my position and it will continue to be my position, it has nothing to do with me.
“I believe the APC is amenable to working with the south-east from all indications, it’s amenable and I also believe that until justice and equity is implanted in this nation Nigeria, it is difficult for Nigeria to make progress.”
The governor further said he would be retiring from politics in 2023, but demanded the next President of the country comes from the South East region.
By Abel Ejikeme
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