South-East’ll collapse into APC –Umahi

Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, has declared that the South-East geo-political zone will move into the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the people of the zone are tired of empty promises by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “The South-East as known today will all move to APC.

We have to launch out to the centre, we are tired of empty promises; we want action now. Let your heart not fail you; no man has your destiny,” the governor said. Umahi stated this yesterday at the Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, during his formal defection to the ruling party.

The governor dumped PDP with his deputy, speaker of the state House of Assembly and chairmen and deputy chairmen of the 13 local government areas of the state. Others who jumped ship were members of the State Executive Council, executive assistants, senior technical assistants and technical assistants, liaison officers, members of boards and commissions; management committee members and local government supervisors.

The chairman of APC National Caretaker Committee, Governor Mai Mala Buni and Governors Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa) and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), as well as Ministers of Justice and Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Abubakar Malami and Sadiya Umar Farouq, respectively, attended the event.

While none of the members representing Ebonyi in the National Assembly was part of the defection, Umahi said they are looking for something in PDP, but will soon join APC as no one has played opposition politics in the state since its creation.

His words: “This is the will of God; you cannot truncate the will of God. Today, I can boldly say that our state is 99.9 per cent APC. The .001 per cent is the room I have left for my National Assembly members. Do not castigate them, they are looking for something and when they get it, they will come back. Don’t castigate them, they are my children and I love them so much. “We have three members of the elders’ council, do not castigate them.

They are my children. I am the father of the state; they will come back; we are together. No one does opposition in Ebonyi State, so, they will come back.” Umahi added that he is free from PDP’s dictatorship as one or two people decide affairs of the party. “Mere men have told me that I will regret this movement, but I have examined myself and I have consulted God.

There is a saying that even if there is no heaven, serving God is not a waste of time as the peace of righteousness on earth is enough reward. We are free at last; freedom from one or two people deciding the affairs of men and we have moved into blessings.”

The governor said he has sacrificed himself for the interest of the South- East and Ebonyi State in particular by moving to APC and commended President Muhammadu Buhari for helping the state to develop.

“I have sacrificed myself for the interest of the South-East and Ebonyi State in particular. We have dwelt so much in one political party and its time to move to the centre. We are so grateful to God who directs our affairs. We thank Mr. President who has helped us to develop this state, we are grateful to him. The help of Mr. President has transformed our state.

“This new house that is built on trust; that is built on justice; that is built on equity and fairness; this new house that is built on love is going to accommodate all of us. Together we are stronger, the bigger the better. Let us together approach the throne of God with boldness, we will not remember yesterday. There is no victor, there is no vanquished in this marriage. It is a marriage that is consummated by God and therefore no bitterness.

“We as PDP people, we forgive everyone in APC and we have drawn assurance that everyone in APC has forgiven PDP. I have dissolved the elders’ council to accommodate our brothers and sisters that are coming from APC and this is very important to note.” Receiving Umahi and his supporters, Governor Buni commended the governor for the defection, describing his action as timely. According to him, Umahi came into the party when it was being rebuilt for the task ahead.

He said: “Your excellency, your entrance is timely and appropriate because you are coming into the party at a time we have started rebuilding this party from bottom up. We have started reconciliation and now we are in the second phase and about to start the membership registration across the country.

“You are automatically the leader of the party in the state and a waiver has been granted to you and your supporters across the 13 local government areas (LGAs) of the state. “You should try to be fair to all members of the party, you must realise that there were people already there before you.”