The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi has officially confirmed ditching the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking to journalists in his office, at the new Government House, Abakaliki, Umahi said his defection to APC was to protest “injustice” being done to the south-east by PDP.
Umahi said the South East has remained faithful to PDP, voted for its candidates, yet had not been considered fairly in Nigerian politics.
The governor who debunked speculations that his reason for his defection was because he had no chance of securing PDP’s 2023 Presidential ticket, further denied being promised any special package in APC.
According to him: “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 10 or 20 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 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 south east were all PDP. One of the founding members of PDP is from south, His Excellency Dr. Alex Ekwueme east; the late former Vice President. And so, it is absurd that since 1998 going to 2023 that southeast will never be considered to run for presidency under the ticket of the PDP, is very absurd and this is my position and it will continue to be my position, it has nothing to do with me.
“The point is very simple. In 2023, I would have been in PDP between 23 and 24 years and south east never really supported APC the way they are supporting PDP and in that 2023, they would have been 8 years in office but it would have been about 23 years going. So, I believe strongly that the will of God will come to play but I believe that APC is amenable to working with south east from all indication, 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.”
While revealing his intentions of retiring from politics in 2023, Governor Umahi demanded that the next President of the country should come from the South East region.
According to him, it was about time he returned to his successful business venture, having been successful governor for two tenure.
He said if an Igbo man is President, he would naturally be protective of all sections of the country, more so, because the Igbo have stake in all parts of Nigeria.
