Presidential ambition not reason for leaving PDP- Umahi

Ebonyi State Governor, Chief David Umahi has said that his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was not aimed at benefitting from the rumoured plan of the APC  to zone its 2023 presidential ticket to the South-east.

Governor Umahi who made the disclosure during a media chat with journalists at the New Government House Abakaliki, insisted that his move to the All Progressives Congress was due to the “injustice done to the South-east region under the PDP”.

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Governor Umahi explained that he would continue to agitate for the interest of the South East in or out of office.

He added that he has decided to become the sacrificial lamb that would be crucified for the interest and good purpose of Ndigbo in general.

“Let me clear the air and state that I never sort for the ticket of PDP Presidency and I will not. Whoever that said that I moved to APC because they refused to zone the ticket to me is being very mischievous.

“Because even if PDP promises me, an individual a presidential ticket, how does it work?”.

“It is expected that we’ll over 8,000 delegates would elect the person and such promise can not happen without more than 10 or 20 people.

“People are being very mischievous but I tell you, there are a lot of prominent people from South East that can take the slot of PDP”.

“Why am I moving to APC?, some people said I was promised this and that but I tell you, there is no such discussion.

“APC never promised me any position, they never promised South East any position, there was no such discussion, however, I offered this movement as a protest to the injustice being done to South East by the PDP since 1999 till date”, he said.

He noted that between 1999 till date, the South East region has continued to support the People’s Democratic Party, yet the party has not deemed it fit to zone the Presidency to the region.

He stressed that there are credible and qualified personalities in the zone that are competent to rule the country.

“The PDP is yet to give reasons why the South East should not get the slot of Presidency”, he explained.

He noted that he has since 2019 started the agitation for southeast Presidency, insisting that the zone must get it right now or else wait for another couple of years to get such opportunity again.

Governor Umahi further noted that despite his movement to the All Progressives Congress APC, he would not castigate the People’s Democratic Party.

The Ebonyi State Governor who pointed out that he might quit politics in 2023 said that he has not declared interest for the office of the Presidency yet and would support any candidate from the zone for the exalted position.