Ebonyi state governor, David Umahi, has revealed that President-Elect, Bola Tinubu, persuaded him to step down for the former Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, in the race for the 10th senate presidency over promises he made during presidential election campaign.
Umahi’s revelation comes after the National Working Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ratified the zoning formula proposed by Tinubu with Akpabio favourite for the senate’s top job.
Umahi who spoke at the newly constructed Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Onueke in Ebonyi said that Tinubu told him during their meeting that he [Tinubu] had “committed” himself, adding that he accepted to step down because he doesn’t want to be “a clog in the wheel” Tinubu’s progress.
“The leader of the party who is the president-elect called me and I feel it is an honour to have called me and I consulted with him while he was in Paris and he said we were going to talk about it,” Umahi said.
“So, when he came back he called me and we had a meeting and he said please I Have committed myself and it is his right to do that, this is the president-elect, 29th May, he is going to be the president of the country so if he had made promises of course when you are running for such office you must make promises So I won’t be a clog in the wheel of his progress, so I had to accept.”
Nevertheless, Umahi remains hopeful that the party faithful will eventually reap the rewards for their loyalty to Tinubu’s administration.
“So, I also accepted for the interest of the South-East let it not look as if we are in opposition, we just oppose everything. Politics is all about dialogue, it is about give and takes and if we surrendered now or I said No, what will have happened?
“So, I had to in the interest of the South East, so since we didn’t get that one I am sure by God’s special grace the efforts some of us made in marketing APC in the South East, we are going to get some other things that are tangible.”
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.
