APC will find it difficult to sell Jonathan – Umahi

Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State has expressed concern over the kind of messages the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will be telling Nigerians with former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate.

The governor spoke Tuesday while responding to questions from State House reporters after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

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He wondered how the APC would reconcile its policies and promises with those of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under which Jonathan was President.

He expressed worry that it would be difficult for the ruling party to campaign with Jonathan as its presidential candidate, adding that his entrance into the race for the APC presidential ticket will be another wonder of the world.

Umahi said if the former president joined the ruling party it would be a material for Guinness Book of Records.

He, however, expressed doubt about the authenticity of the development because of series of denials regarding the former President’s rumoured move to the APC.

When asked about his views on Jonathan as a presidential contender, he said: “Jonathan is my father and God used him and the wife to make me a governor of the state and so, anybody who has done anything for me, I’ve always remained very grateful to such person and I will continue to be very grateful to him, the wife for being available and my destiny helper, to achieve that feat.

“Probably if that miracle did not take place, then the miracles that happened in Ebonyi State, in terms of total evolution and transformation wouldn’t have taken place. So, he’s a man we can’t forget, just like Sani Abacha, who created the state and Mr. President. Of course, we’ve named the airport after him, we’ve named the light tunnel after him, we’ve named the Presidential Lodge after him.

“Good intention that we don’t forget people who have helped us, but on the question of joining, I may not say much about that because I’ve seen a lot of write ups, denials, but if he decides to join and to run, it will, for me, become one of the wonders in this century.

“The reason is that if you go and see the campaign programs of APC and you now ask President Jonathan to come and run, I don’t know what will be our campaign promises and what will be the stories we’ll be telling Nigerians. I believe strongly that he was not aware of the forms and I want to believe that people that are mischievous would have bought the forms to embarrass him.

“But from what I read, he has quickly distanced himself from that. But like I said, if that is not the case, then the Guinness Book of Records is not totally filled up.”