Don't Let Your Presidential Ambition Destroy South-East, Wike Tells Umahi -

By DAPO FALADE

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has admonished his Ebonyi State counterpart, Dave Umahi, not to allow his quest to become president of Nigeria, destroy the South-East politically.

He said while no one will deny Umahi the right to pursue his political aspiration, which he said is the primary reason for his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), he should be mindful of the political future of the South-Eastern region.

Woke, who stated this in a live television programme on Thursday, said Umahi has shown himself as an ungrateful man for insisting that he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to protest the injustice the party meted to the South-East region since 1999.

He stated that one reason why Governor Umahi is unhappy with the PDP was because former Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State was chosen to run the joint presidential ticket with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in 2019.

“When we had the 2018 convention that produced our presidential candidate then, the Waziri of Adamawa, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, he consulted widely and came up with Peter Obi, to be his vice, Umahi was livid because he wanted to produce or he wanted to be the vice president.

“You don’t chose who would be the vice presidential candidate of anybody. Umahi was livid. What disturbs me, why do you think that if anything comes to South-East it must be you? Why do you think so?,” he asked.

The Rivers State governor pointed out that Umahi cannot talk of injustice when he allegedly practices injustice against the South-East zone by single-handedly installing his two younger brothers, one as the zonal vice chairman of the PDP and the other as the deputy state chairman of the party.

See also We've Restored Socio-Economic Activities In North-West-Nigerian Army

“If he believes in equity and justice, will he be doing such? It is because he has planted these people that the state House of Assembly had such effrontery to give the National Working Committee (NWC) ultimatum to zone the presidency to the South-East.

“Where does such thing happen? No other party has done any zoning. You can imagine the level of selfishness,” he said.

He also described as untrue the claim by Umahi that he made PDP what it is in the South-East zone as the only financier of all of its activities and noted that such claim, suggests that other governors of Anambra, Abia and Enugu states are not doing anything to ensure the success of the party in the zone.

“I know it is not correct. If not for Pius Ayim that impressed it on former Governor Martin Elechi, would Umahi have become governor? So, he cannot say he is the one who has built the PDP.

“The party made him what he is and if he denies it, it only tells you the kind of person he is. What is even his contribution at the national level of the party to support his claim. Where was he when people like Alex Ekwueme fought General Dani Abacha and built the party. I distaste such arrogance,” he asserted.

Wike also dismissed the allegation against him by Umahi that he is a dictator who imposed Uche Secondus as PDP National Chairman on the party, describing the allegation as spurious and added that evidence abound that Secondus was elected at the National Convention of the party.

See also PRESS RELEASE Conduct credible, unbiased LG election, Makinde charges OYSIEC …inaugurates commission *'I won't interfere with your activities' Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, on Thursday, inaugurated the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), charging its members to deliver credible, free and fair local government election in the state. The governor stated that the commission, headed by Mr. Isiaka Olagunju, has been saddled with the responsibility of overseeing an election, which outcome will reflect the will of the people. He charged the commission to, within the shortest possible time, make the will of the people prevail by conducting a local government election that is unbiased. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor, while speaking at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, venue of the swearing-in, said his administration is ready to conduct the local government election, as it has allocated money for OYSIEC in the 2020 Budget. He promised that his administration would not interfere with the activities of the commission. He said: "I want to thank the House of Assembly for confirming you in a timely manner. I hope that you will also imbibe the sense of urgency and conduct credible local government election in Oyo State within the shortest possible time. “We knew this would come and we already allocated money in the Oyo State Budget for this year to conduct the election. Within the shortest possible time, please give us elected officials at the local government level that are known to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria." Governor Makinde, who said he has not yet indicated whether he will be running for another term in 2023 or not, as it is too early to be thinking of that for now, appealed to the opposition in the state not to overheat the polity. He urged politicians not to see elections as war or a do-or-die affair, but allow the will of people to prevail. "Some parties said they want to unseat me in 2023. It is okay, but I have not indicated the interest to run in 2023, as it is still too early. I may or may not. I have a second address and that is what we want to encourage in our space. “This board will have free hand. If they want to unseat me, it's fine; but they should contest and win many councillorship seats as much as possible so that we can know they are really serious. I will encourage them and others to contest in 2023. "Who knows who is going to be alive in the next hour? We are only sure of this moment. So, they should calm down. Elections should never be war or a do-or-die affair. Election in a democracy should be about the will of the people.” He added that members of the board are men and women of integrity with track records, admonishing them to do the work that will make people of the state proud of them. "I believe that the mandate of this board is to conduct an inclusive election. So, gone are the days when the governor of the state will manipulate matter so that some political parties will not field candidates. We are not here to play games. "So, I am saying to this board that the will of the people must remain sacrosanct. We have sent your names to the House of Assembly. We believe you are men and women of integrity. I have met one or two of you personally. It is not about the political party but the interest of the state and I believe the state will be proud of you,” he said. Speaking on behalf of the board members shortly after the swearing-in, the chairman, Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, Mr. Olagunju, assured the people of the state that the board will conduct a credible and transparent local government election. He called on the people to have confidence and trust in the commission, adding that they will not be biased towards any political party and that the will of the people will prevail. Olagunju said: "The essence of inaugurating the board is to organise and manage local government election; that is our mandate and we have to follow it. "We were just inaugurated today. We need to go back to the office, see what is happening before we can talk about when to hold the election. It is possible this year but everything depends on the circumstances that we find ourselves when we get to the office. "When His Excellency was inaugurating the commission, he gave us the mandate that we must ensure that the will of the people prevail and that it is sacrosanct. So, we want to assure the people of Oyo State that we will conduct a transparent, credible and acceptable election. "I can also assure that people will have confidence and trust in the commission. It will be our joy that all political parties will participate in the election process. The governor has also said that we should not favour any party, because he is not in support of impartiality." The Board members include: Comrade Adeniji Babatunde, Alhaja Ganiyat Saka, Mr. Emmanuel Olanrewaju, Chief Kunmi Agboola, Mr. Aderemi Ayoade, Mr. Sunday Falana and Mr. Adeojo Elias. The swearing-in was attended by the Deputy Governor, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan; Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun; Chief of Staff, Chief Bisi Ilaka; Head of Service, Mrs. Ololade Agboola and other cabinet members, as well as chieftains of the PDP in the state, led by the chairman, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha. Signed: Taiwo Adisa Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde September 3, 2020.

The governor accused his Ebonyi State counterpart of being treacherous, stating that when the caucus of the party decided that Kingsley Chinda should be elected Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Umahi told federal lawmakers from Ebonyi to work against it.

He further stated that when PDP committed members tried to rescue the party from the alleged destructive tendencies of Alhaji Ali-Modu Sheriff, Umahi was one of those who was frolicking with him.

“We fought and won and Ali-Modu Sheriff left. I can say that I am one of those who made sure that the PDP never died. I feel comfortable with my performance in my state. Rivers people are comfortable with me too,” he said.

News served as it breaks!

Don’t Let Your Presidential Ambition Destroy South-East, Wike Tells Umahi

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply