Governor David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi State.
BY VICTOR NWEGEDE
The Ebonyi State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has debunked the news making round on the media that Governor David Nweze Umahi was in desperate move with Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the Senate Chief Whip, to return to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Comrade Simbad Chidi Ogbuatu, APC Publicity Secretary, Ebonyi State Chapter.
In a release by the APC Publicity Secretary in Ebonyi State, Comrade Simbad Chidi Ogbuatu, described the news as not only fake, laughable but gibberish and jaundiced, saying that Governor Umahi had no time and will never plan to go back to his former party, PDP.
"We in Ebonyi APC wish to say that the news is not only fake, laughable but also gibberish and jaundiced as the Chairman of Southeast Governors' Forum, the Leader of our great party, All Progressives Congress APC and Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Engr Chief David Nweze Umahi, FNSE FNATE has at no time and will never plan to return to People's Democratic Party PDP," Ogbuatu said.
He said that the APC faithfuls in Ebonyi State got the news making rounds on the media with the heading, "Orji Kalu, Umahi in desperate move to return to PDP" which was credited to a PDP Chieftain in Abia State, Dr Isaac Nkole.
He noted that the news alleging that Governor Umahi planned to go back to the PDP was published on December 2, 2021.
Dr Nkole in the published news according to Ogbuatu, said, ”We heard that Gov. Dave Umahi also wants to return to PDP. They have all discovered that they made the wrong decision by joining APC in the first place. That’s why they all want to return..."
The Ebonyi APC Spokesman further hinted that the above statement came as an adjunct to an allegation by the said Nkole that the Former Governor of Abia State and Senate Chief Whip, His Excellency, Sen. Dr Orji Uzor Kalu is planning to go back to PDP.
The State APC Scribe explained that "Gov David Umahi's defection to the national party did not come to him as stupefaction, neither did he join for selfish enrichment. The defection was a well-thought movement which was decided in the greater interest of Ebonyi State in particular and the Southeast in general.
"His Excellency saw the need to toe the line of the former nationalists like Late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zik of Africa) and others from Southeast who had always believed in the politics of the centre, consequent upon his decision to take our dear state and Southeast to the grid of national politics.
"His Excellency as a father and leader of Southeast saw that the present and the future time of the zone is brighter and more promising in APC than the PDP in which the zone had partnered, put up with and worked for twenty years with nothing to show for it.
"Gov Umahi defected to APC in order to join hands with an Icon of Integrity, and a selfless leader President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR and other well meaning Nigerians in taking Nigeria to the next level. Under President Muhammadu Buhari' s APC led government, every part of Southeast has benefitted in infrastructural development and the only way to appreciate Mr President is to join him in the next level transformation agenda, and that is the leading reason Gov Umahi defected to APC. "
Ogbuatu also boasted over the performance of Governor Umahi and advised the general public especially the party faithfuls to disregard the allegation.
"it is on record that Chief Umahi has done exceedingly greater than his contemporaries as a governor in this dispensation.
"Ebonyi State has for last six years witnessed uncommon infrastructural development, human capital development and empowerment under the governor.
"Significantly, Ebonyi State has become a reference point of good governance under Chief Umahi. As the leader of Southeast, Gov Umahi has also demostrated commitment, patriotism, extraordinary capacity and knowledgeability in the manner he pilots the affairs of the zone.
"To that effect, we warn that no one should dare distracting the governor who is highly committed to providing quality leadership to Ebonyi people.
"Finally, we wish to state bodaciously that Gov Umahi has not, either in person, a representative or through a surrogate made and will never make any move to return to the Social Club known as POP. He is at home in APC as the Ebonyi State Leader of the party for more than one year today.
"Members of the public should therefore disregard the misleading news as it is the figment of the imagination of the originator who lives in nothing but mischief making and illusionary disposition."
