My Defection, My Stand

Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi justifies his dumping the Peoples’ Democratic Party, as Governor Wike, others disagree with him, saying, his defection was to actualize his 2023 presidential ambition


Engr. David Umahi, the governor of Ebonyi State has been in the news in recent times. He is not in the news for breaking any new development strides in his State, but for dumping the party that brought him to political relevance, the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP. The governor dumped the opposition party, PDP, for the ruling party, APC, for what he termed as, ‘the injustice and neglect of the South East by the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, for over two decades’.

The governor reiterated that his former party was in the habit of denying the South East a slot for the Presidential ticket since 1999, despite the fact that the South East zone has remained the Party’s stronghold since the return of democracy in 1999. Umahi, who is also the Chairman of South East Governors’ Forum, denied that his move to the All Progressive Party, APC, was to actualize his presidential ambition as rumoured in some quarters. “It is not true that my defection to APC was to actualize any presidential ambition. I never sought for the Presidential ticket in the PDP and the APC did not promise me any position. “I am satisfied with my achievements as a two-term governor of Ebonyi State and would be glad to quit politics in 2023 as long as I succeed in drawing the PDP out of its long maltreatment of the South East Zone. “The All Progressive Congress, APC, never promised me any position, they never promised the South East any position. There was no such discussion”, he added. “However, I embarked on this movement as a protest for the injustice that has been perpetrated by the PDP against the South East Zone.

“Since 1998/1999, South East people have supported the Peoples’ Democratic Party in all elections. “At a time, the five States in the South East were all in PDP and one of the founding members of the Party and former Vice President, Late Dr. Alex Ekwueme is from the South East. “So, it is absurd that since 1998, going to 2023, that the South East has never been considered good enough to run for Presidency on the platform of PDP”, he lamented. Stressing that his defection to APC has nothing to do with him as a person. Governor Umahi further claimed that his movement to APC was more to protest such unfettered injustice done to his people of the South East than any other primordial reasons.

“This is my position and will continue to be my position. It has nothing to do with me”, he said, adding that the defection will make the Peoples’ Democratic Party to understand that no man is an island, and that no single person can be called a crowd. Together we are stronger”. The governor, who has been under heavy attack by his party members since his defection, justified his action by saying that, “if people are shouting in this country for equity, fairness and justice, and I stand in a place where such is not practiced, then I have to re-examine my head”.

Realizing that his move to APC could be an unpopular move at this time, considering the fact that the Party at the Centre is short of delivering the dividends of democracy to the masses, Gov. Umahi, retorted. “People can write whatever they want, it is not my business. By 2023, if God permits, I will be quitting politics, and I will be very satisfied with my achievements”. There were insinuations that Gov. Umahi could have consulted widely with his brother Governors of the South East zone with the aim of convincing them of the need to defect to APC. But the Governor said that he initiated the fight alone and took the plunge alone based on his personal conviction and family integrity which abhors injustice. But Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers State does not agree that Governor Umahi dumped the Peoples’ Democratic Party due to his self-acclaimed injustice meted to the people of the South East by the Peoples’ Democratic Party. Governor Wike said that Gov. Umahi defected because of his ambition to be APC’s presidential flagbearer in 2023. Gov. Wike who spoke through a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Mr. Kevin Ebiri, accused Gov. Umahi of being unfair to the Peoples’ Democratic Party which gave him ticket in 2015 and 2019.

“My friend, Umahi, wants to be President. There is no problem about that. You have a right to be President. Nobody can stop you. You are educated. You have been governor for two terms, so you are qualified to say, I want to be President of Nigeria”, Gov. Wike concluded. Wike further noted that there is no iota of truth in Gov. Umahi’s allegation that the Peoples’ Democratic Party has treated the South East zone shabbily since 1998, saying that Gov. Umahi was on a mission to blackmail the party. Wike posited that under the Peoples’ Democratic Party, the South East has produced three Senate Presidents, National Vice Chairman of the PDP as well as Secretary to the Government of the Federation. He wondered why Gov. Umahi jumped into APC when the Party has not yet come out with decision of which zone will get their Presidential ticket in 2023, describing the move as hasty, which in turn could make or mar him politically.

Gov. Wike, who is not hiding his disappointment with Gov. Umahi chided the defecting governor further when he said, “Even if the APC decides to zone their presidential ticket to the South East zone, where he noted that the party has no formidable base, there is no guarantee that Gov. Umahi would get the ticket. The five sates of the South East which used to have their governors from the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, now shares their governors among the three dominant political parties in Nigeria. Abia and Enugu States are now controlled by the Peoples’ Democratic Party. Imo State, whose governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma emerged under controversial circumstances and the Ebonyi State whose governor just defected to the ruling party are being controlled by the All Progressive Congress, while Anambra State is being controlled by All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

The former Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim berated Governor Umahi for dumping the Peoples’ Democratic Party for the All Progressives Party, saying that it is greed that is pursuing the governor. He said, if care is not taken, this move by Governor Umahi could be his political end as he has wittingly dug his political grave. The news of the intended defection of Governor Umahi was first broken by an APC stalwart from Ebonyi State, Hon. Chinedu Ogar, representing Ezza/South Ikwo Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, but this was swiftly denied by Governor Umahi as untrue and the figment of Hon. Ogar’s imagination. Today, Hon. Ogar has been vindicated.