Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi has reacted to the
presidential bid of the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi, saying his aspiration
is making the South East geo-political zone relevant.
Umahi, who was at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to meet
with President Muhammadu Buhari to intimate him of the completion of a new
Governors’ Lodge in Asokoro, did not openly support the Labour Party candidate,
but noted that Obi’s presidential aspiration was good for the region.
Reacting to questions thrown at him on the chances of the
APC clinching the Presidency in 2023 going by wide support for the Peter Obi
movement, he said only God can actually determine who will eventually win the
poll, but wished that his party, the APC would emerge victorious.
Recall that Umahi, a frontline member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crossed over to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) a development that elicited strong reactions within the polity.
Commenting on the crisis still dotting the APC ahead of the
general elections, Umahi said such issues will be addressed amicably and the
party would come out stronger.
His words, “Well, I think that, you know, we don’t have
issues in the APC like the kind of issues that we have in other parties. They
say in a big house, you know, there are vessels onto honour and there are
vessels onto dishonour. Literally, meaning that there must be some issues in a
big house like the APC. But the structure and the spread of APC is such that
victory is assured.
“I can assure you that some of the disagreements in some
States are going to be resolved. Mechanism has been put in place by Mr.
President, the candidate of the party, his vice and then the national chairman
and leadership of the party, to sort out those differences. And I think we are
well prepared for victory in 2023”.
Responding to questions on whether the South-East is ready
for the presidency, relying on what played out in the APC primaries, he said,
“What happened during the primaries of PDP and APC, were a kind of
miscalculation by people but to say whether they’re ready for the presidency of
the country anytime, I think that the movement of Peter Obi is an eye opener.
“That’s why I said, I love what he’s doing. I’m encouraged
by what he’s doing. Because if he’s not doing what he’s doing, it means that
South East would have been forgotten. So, why my party takes the victory, he
would have prepared a very good ground, for the South East Presidency, so that
nobody is going to write us off.
“And you can see the level of his acceptability, which does
not translate to victory over APC. I’m sure of that, but it’s a good movement.
And it reassures the South East people and the entire country that we are
accepted, you know, that we will one day become the President of this country.
It is very important”.
Asked if the Peter Obi phenomenon contributed to reduced
killings in the South East, he said, “You cannot technically assign the
killings because of Igbo presidency, you can see that security generally is
improving in the country. And it has nothing to do with the movement of Peter
Obi.
“Peter Obi movement is a movement that is anchored on
equity, justice and fairness. It may not translate to outright win because I
must defend my party, I must wish my party well and I’m having the ticket of my
party. So but whether what he is doing has meaning in there, not only South
East, it does have meaning. So we must never attribute the killings in South
East to this kind of movement.
“Peter Obi’s movement and all the movement are authored on
God’s will, is only God who knows who will win, but there must be a wish. As a
party man, I would wish that our party wins. And if God says no, the next
person I wish that should win is Peter Obi. Because I believe strongly and I
will say it anywhere that after the north has taken eight years, there is no
moral justification for the north to be seeking to take another eight years, it
should go to the south.
“So I’m not wishing Peter Obi away. God has the final say
and he has the power and gives to whom ever He wishes”
Also asked if Obi has any chance of winning, he responded
saying, everybody has chances of winning and chances of losing but you must
always have a wish.
“Yes. It’s going to be a different ball game altogether.
Because when campaign starts, yes, the interest of our people in terms of
presidency is there, you can’t wish it away. But everyone in south east holding
the ticket of their party is going to be struggling and he’s going to be
fighting. You will not tell the guy that has the ticket of House of Assembly to
look at the bigger picture of Igbo presidency. He may not see it but that is
not to say that you know Peter Obi is not going to get substantial votes in
South East, it is there”.
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