The chairman of South East Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi and all his state executive members, the Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr. Francis Nwifuru and some other lawmakers on Thursday officially joined the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Umahi, who was presented with the APC flag and formally declared for the party, said he was defecting to the All Progressives Congress, APC, with over three million citizens of the state.
The defection of the governor took place at the Ecumenical Centre located along Abakaliki/Afikpo road, capital of Ebonyi State.
He said: “I have sacrificed myself, for the interest of south east and Ebonyi State in particular, I sacrifice myself. We have dwelt so much in one political party and it’s time to move to the centre.
“We are so grateful to God who directs our affairs, we thank Mr. President so highly for helping us to develop this state, we are grateful to him. The help of Mr. President has transformed our state.
“This is the will of God; you cannot truncate the will of God. Today, I can boldly say that our state is 99.9% APC. The .001% 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, and we are together. They don’t do opposition in Ebonyi State, they will come back.
“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 vanquish 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 elder’s council to accommodate our brothers and sisters that are coming from APC and this is very important to note,” he stated.
Responding, the national caretaker committee chairman of APC, Mal-Mala Buni, said the entrance of Umahi is a welcome development for the state and south east in general, but tasked the governor to carry along all the stakeholders of APC.
Meanwhile, the new caretaker committee of APC, which includes: Mr. Stanley Emegha Okoro – Chairman among others was inaugurated at the venue.
In attendance were the Governors of Yobe, Niger, Kebi and jigawa States as well as the Attorney General of the Federation/ Minister of Justice, among others.
