BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
GOVERNOR David Umahi of Ebonyi State has been formally received in his new party, the All Progressives Congress.
Though members of the Ebonyi State National Assembly Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party had distanced themselves from his defection, saying he is on his own, Umahi said, on Thursday, that they were looking for something and would surely come to the party once they get it.
The Governor had decamped from the PDP, alleging unfair treatment of the South East by the party since 1998.
The declaration ceremony, which took place at the Christian Ecumenical Center, Abakaliki, the state capital, had the Attorney General of the Federation, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, in attendance.
Other PDP stakeholders who attended the event included the Governors of Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Jigawa State, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni; and Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello.
Also present was the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sadiya Umar Farouk.
The lawmaker representing Ezza South/ Ikwo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Chinedu Ogah, was also among the dignitaries that graced the occasion.
Speaking at the occasion, Umahi alleged that the PDP was characterised by dictators who forced their decisions on others, adding that this was a key reason he moved to APC.
He insisted that Ebonyians were 99.9 per cent loyal to his new party, maintaining that the federal lawmakers from the state were looking for something and would surely come back to the party when they get it.
Umahi was welcomed into APC alongside 110 executive council members, 1,200 Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Technical Advisers, Executive Assistants, including 3,740 liaison officers,400 appointees, 516 managment committee members, 130 supervisiors, all 13 local government chairmen, and 64 DC coordinators among others.
On his part, a chieftain of the APC and former lawmaker from Enugu State, Senator Ken Nnamani, said Umahi was taking the Igbo nation back to where it belonged, noting that they could no longer be in opposition.
He declared that a date would be fixed to celebrate Umahi’s infrastructural strides.
The state APC Chairman, Eze Nwachukwu, said the defection was prayer answered to APC Ebonyi State, which had been struggling to produce a Governor, and pledged to support Umahi “to ensure the state and zone takes center space in the nation.”
Malami welcomed Umahi and stressed that the defection was timely, as the party was currently rebuilding its structure and was at the stage of registration of members.
The APC Ebonyi State Caretaker Committee was inaugurated at the occasion.
Members are Stanley Okoro (Chairman); John Nwankata – Vice Chairman (North); Peter Nworie Ndubuisi – Vice Chairman (Central); Ozoemena Njoku – Vice Chairman (South); and Charles Ofok – Secretary.
Others are: Ogbonnaya Igboke – Organising Secretary; Chidi Ogbuatu – Publicity Secretary; Ikaa Ukeni – Legal Adviser; Chief Paulinus Ali (Zomo) – Treasurer; Chief Joseph Ozibo – Financial Secretary; Ogochukwu David Elem – Youth Leader; Odo Oluchi Juliet – Women Leader; Ogbonna David Nshii – Auditor; Adum Uchenna Basil –Physically Challenged;
and Francis Obike Nweze – Welfare Secretary.
