Ebonyi National Assembly Caucus disown Gov. Umahi

Members of the Ebonyi State Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party in the National Assembly have disowned the State Governor, David Umahi, on his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The caucus at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, described the Governor’s action as insensitive, unacceptable and selfish, maintaining that the reasons given by Umahi for his action were both untenable and deceitful.

Presenting the position of the group, the leader of the Ebonyi State PDP caucus in the National Assembly, Senator Sam Egwu, asserted that none of the lawmakers would defect with the Governor.

Egwu further maintained that although the caucus believed the Presidency should be zoned to the South East in 2023, no single individual has the absolute power to compel a political parties to dance to his personal music.

The caucus commended the national leadership of the PDP for its proactive action in dissolving the leadership structure as it were in the State and appointing a Caretaker Committee.

The statement reads in full: “We wish to address our fellow PDP memebers and other well meaning Nigerians on the defection of the Governor of Ebonyi state, Chief David Umahi from the PDP to the APC.

“For the sake of clarity we wish to state categorically that not a single member of the PDP caucus at the National Assembly is defecting to the APC.

“The three Senators and five House of Representatives members remain proud card carrying memebers of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) the platform under which we contested and won elections in 2019.

“The major reason given by Umahi for defecting from the PDP to the APC is now in public domain which is that the PDP has not been fair to the people of the Southeast and the issue of zoning the Presidency and Vice Presidency.

“While we support that it is the turn of the Southeast to fly the Presidential flag of any of the major political parties come 2023 , yet we consider it “inpolitic”, “indecent” and “unwise” to give ultimatums and conditionanlties in a bid to secure zoning.

“Indeed if there is any person who should remain eternally grateful to the PDP , that individual ought to be the Governor , David Umahi: a man who was appointed the state Chairman of the PDP , made deputy Governor in the PDP administration and was elected for two terms under the banner of the PDP as Governor.

“His younger brothers were elected to principal offices of the PDP: one Austin Umahi as the Southeast Zonal Chairman of the PDP and another Mr. Maxwell Umahi as the deputy state Chairman of the PDP .

“As democrats, we concede Chief Umahi’s rights to join any political association of his choice.

“As Federal Lawmakers, we are not unaware of the supreme court descion that candidates are products of their political parties.

“What it means is that political office holders are not at liberty to migrate from one political platform to another ,especially when there is no division in their party .

“We wish to use this opportunity to thank the leadership of our great party, the PDP for their prompt action in dissolving the wards , local Government , State and Zonal structures of the party in Ebonyi state and the announcement of state caretaker team .

“We also wish to urge the teeming members and supporters in our various constituencies who have remained undaunted to be committed to their membership of the PDP.

“We also wish to thank the Southeast caucus and indeed the entire PDP family of the National Assembly.

“We thank you all and may God bless Ebonyi state and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The lawmakers were joined at the press conference by the Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South).

The text of the press conference was signed by Senator Sam Ominyi Egwu, Senator Obinna Ogba, Senator Mike Ama Nnachi, Rt. Hon. Sylvester Ogbaga, Rt. Hon. Igariwey Iduma Enwo, Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku, Rt. Hon. Edwin Anayo and Rt. Hon. Livinus Makwe.