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Tag: Umahi

  • Ebonyi SDP governorship candidate accepts defeats, congratulates Umahi

    The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Ebonyi State, Chibueze Agbo, on Thursday, accepted the results of the last governorship election in the state.

    He also congratulated the winner of the election and incumbent governor of the state, David Umahi.

    Umahi, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had defeated the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, (APC), Sonni Ogbuoji and Agbo in the election.

    The governor, according to the State Returning Officer, Chukwuemeka Eze, garnered a total of 393,343 votes cast across the 13 local governments in the state.

    Ogbuoji got a total of 81,703 votes cast to place a distant second while Agbo place third will just 10,129 votes.

    However, Ogbuoji rejected the outcome of the election and vowed to challenge the result at the tribunal.

    But Agbo, in a letter to Umahi said he accepted the result as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the spirit of sportsmanship.

    He noted that he did not set out to contest for governorship election in the state.

    He said he was prepared for the House of Representatives seat for his federal constituency-Ebonyi/Ohaukwu on the platform of the APC.

    “It was the irregularities, impunity and wanton abuse of the party’s guidelines and constitution, disrespect for the party elders, and killings that characterised the primary, and my realisation that the managers of the party in Ebonyi state lacked the understanding, preparedness, zeal, training, exposure and charisma needed for effective, engaging and fruitful opposition in the state that made me to leave the team immediately and join the SDP where I was given the opportunity to fly the flag and participate in the Governorship Election”, he said.

    Agbo urged the governor to carry everyone along in his policies and programmes, going forward.

    “One thing is instructive, you are the Governor of Ebonyi State de facto and de jure. You are the Governor of everybody in the state irrespective of party, religion, color, tribe, creed, and status. I, therefore, appeal that you strive to keep that in mind in all your policies as you lead us in the next four years”

    He also appealed to the governor to give succour to those whose home and property were destroyed in political-related violence in the heat of the elections in Izzi and Ezza North local government areas.

  • Ebonyi governor, Dave Umahi speaks on ‘leaving PDP for APC’

    Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has debunked reports credited to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Sonni Ogbuorji, that he was making plans to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

    Ogbuoji, at a news conference in Enugu State, rejected the outcome of the election and vowed to challenge Umahi’s victory at the tribunal.

    Umahi described Ogbuorji’s statement as the ranting of a frustrated person.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, said the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a total rejection of his opponent.

    The statement reads: “As usual, the pain of defeat has started to manifest and so the centre can no longer hold as regards Ogbuorji’s state of mind. Rather than accept the verdict of the people as expressed in their ballots, Ogbuorji has taken his frustration far beyond the shores of the state.

    “Senator Ogbuorji, rather than defend his lacklustre performance in the governorship election, accused the governor of plans to defect to the APC. His statement smacks of frustration because he was not only trounced by Umahi, but also stripped of the little remaining man in him politically.

    “Ogbuorji alleged that Governor Umahi was a mole in PDP. Such a statement is unfortunate and irresponsible because he lacks all moral justification to know who is a mole and who is not because he represented what a typical mole is in APC.

    “How come Senator Ogbuorji never resigned his membership of the PDP, a party on whose platform he was elected a senator twice? How come Senator Ogbuorji, who claimed to be the governorship candidate of APC, compromised the presidential election to the extent of losing his own polling unit and ward to the PDP?

    “If Ogbuorji was not a mole in APC, how come he won clearly his own governorship election in his polling unit and ward but lost in the presidential election?

    “Unknown to him, the APC National Working Committee knows the character of Ogbuorji. So they allowed him wallow and ate his own flesh in the governorship election,” he added.

  • IPOB: Umahi declares support for ‘Operation Python Dance,’ says Ebonyi not part of Biafra

    Ebonyi state Governor, Engr. David Umahi, on Sunday said Ebonyi state was not part of the states that formed the “Sovereign States of Biafra,” which had been proclaimed by the Indigenous People of Biafra.

    Umahi, who also serves as Chairman of the South East

    Governors’ Forum, however said some of the agitations of IPOB members were genuine, except that the approach used in actualising their objectives were bad.

    Umahi also raised the alarm of an alleged threat of kidnap on the five governors of the zone by the group and added that the fresh threat was received via text messages, sent to his wife.

    He spoke on Sunday at the Nkwegu Military Cantonment in Abakaliki, the state capital, during the inauguration of Operation Python Dance (Egwu Eke) phase III, by the Nigerian Army.

    He said, “The GOC, you are coming at a time we had our brothers and sisters of IPOB sending text messages that, there will be no elections and insulting the leaders, particularly the South-East governors.

    Just few days back, they sent text message to my wife that the five governors of the South-East would be kidnapped and that their security would be overpowered and that after ransoms were paid, they would kill them and kill themselves.

    “That is laughable; although as a leader in the zone, I must say that some of their complaints are genuine; but the approach is very bad. That is why the leaders of south east are not in support of their approach.”

    “So, we are not against them, but their approach. And as the Chief Security of the state, I do not welcome them; Ebonyi state is not part of Biafra, we are a sovereign state, and we don’t want to be colonised again, as we are a state demanding better treatment in the affairs of our nation.”

  • 2019: Why South East leaders opposed Obi’s nomination as Atiku’s running mate – Gov Umahi

    Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State on Tuesday shed some light on why leaders from the South East are protesting the nomination of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi as running mate to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
     
    Umahi spoke after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on socio-economic development.
     
    The governor, who is the Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, said: “Nobody is against Peter Obi because he is my friend, competent and you must have seen our pictures together on the social media
     
    “We must take decisions against the marginalisation of Ebonyi people because if we have to vote, we must be treated with equity.
     
    “Two names of the nominees came from Anambra, two from Abia and one from Enugu but none came from Ebonyi and Imo.
     
    “What is wrong with somebody from Ebonyi and Imo and you must know that one of the reasons an Ebonyi man is against regions in the country, is the fear of further marginalization.”
     
    Umahi maintained that the southeast leaders must sit with the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and if all must have to work together, the leaders must be part of the decision making.
     
    “I am talking about the southeast people and if six people can come from other regions and take decisions, there must be somebody from the southeast zone.
     
    “There is nothing like the southeast governor’s stand on the matter but we are only saying that when decisions are taken and people from other regions are invited, those from the southeast must be invited.
     
    “The southeast leaders never issued any statement on the matter and anybody from the zone who says that our stand is not good, is not a human being’’, he said.
     
    The governor remarked that if Atiku just picked his running mate without people from other regions seeing the list and making choices, there could have been no complaints.
     
    “Nobody chooses the vice president for anybody, it is just like a wife issue but if other people were on the list, people from Ebonyi should be there.
     
    “Even if we would not make the list as the choice is for Abubakar to make, we should know what disqualifies us from being picked,” he said.
     
    He said that Obi told him that he (Umahi) was supposed to be more embittered and make greater noise than he was making presently, if he (Obi) was in his shoes.
     
    “When my Chief Press Secretary (CPS) issued a statement congratulating Obi, the zone’s leaders started calling me, saying that I have made the VP alone.
     
    “I had to issue a counter statement telling them that I was not consulted before the statement was released and that it was an honest mistake from the CPS.
     
    “I cannot endorse Obi alone and am confident that in further decisions, the Igbo man must be consulted.
     
    “If the position I had was my sin, I cannot repent from it,” he said.

  • 2019: Ugwuanyi, Ikpeazu, Umahi, Ayade react to defection reports

    2019: Ugwuanyi, Ikpeazu, Umahi, Ayade react to defection reports

    Governors Ben Ayade (Cross River), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Okezie Ikpeazu all of main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have denied nursing plans to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    They said they would continue to remain loyal party members of the PDP, stressing that it was laughable and unfortunate for anyone to make such insinuations.

    The APC National Vice-Chairman, North Central, Alhaji Suleiman Ahmed-Wambai, had on Thursday, while speaking in Lafia during a party stakeholders meeting, stated that in the next three days, about three governors from the South-East would join the APC.

    The three states in the South-East governed by PDP governors are Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu.

    But, in their separate reactions, the governors dismissed the claim.

    Umahi emphasised that he had no plan to dump the PDP. He described the rumour as unfortunate, saying it was the handwork of mischief makers.

    He said, “Due to my relationship with President (Muhammadu) Buhari, there were rumours that I was moving to the APC. I ask such people that my going to APC is it for what? It is not the will of God that I should join the APC. I pity people who jump from one political party to another; we are not going to do that.”

    Also, the Abia State Commissioner for Information, Chief John Kalu, who spoke on behalf of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, said it was laughable to think that the governor would leave the PDP. He added that the claim was synonymous with “the lies and idol gossip associated with those running the APC.”

    He said, “I do acknowledge the fact that just like former Governor Orji Kalu once said that if Governor Ikpeazu joins the APC they would give him automatic ticket, they are wishing that our performing governor is part of them. But our governor would contest the next election and win under the platform of the PDP.”

    Also, Ayade, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita, said his relationship with the President was purely on governance and not because he planned to join the APC.

    He said, “There is absolutely no truth in it. It is the fertile imagination of the author of the report. The governor has a relationship with the President based on governance. There is need for us as a people to understand that governance is different from politics. Ayade is a committed PDP member.”

    Meanwhile, in Enugu State, one of the officials close to the governor confided in our correspondent that there was no truth in reports that Ugwuanyi was dumping the PDP for APC.

    The official said, “People are leaving the APC, so it is understandable that claims like this would be made to score cheap political points.”

    Efforts to get the governor, the Commissioner for Information or the APC chairman in the state were not successful as at the time of filing this report.

    However, the state publicity secretary of the APC, Mrs. Kate Offor, said, “We are not aware that Governor Ugwuanyi is planning to join us; we don’t know anything about it.”

  • 2019: Akpabio, Ayade, Ugwuanyi, others may defect to APC soon

    2019: Akpabio, Ayade, Ugwuanyi, others may defect to APC soon

    Indications emerged on Friday that Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio; Governors Ben Ayade (Cross River), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) all of main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) soon.

    According to reports reaching TheNewsGuru.com, APC have commenced talks with all the aforementioned parties.

    Akpabio’s romance with Osinbajo, APC

    Although the spokesperson to the Senate Minority Leader, Udom Jackson in a phone conversation with TheNewsGuru.com dispelled the defection allegation leveled on his principal, however, Akpabio’s recent romance with the APC is an open secret.

    Just yesterday, the former Akwa Ibom state governor reportedly arrived the State House Villa by 3.06pm with Ita Enang, an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly (Senate).

    Akpabio and Enang were said to have arrived Aso Rock for a meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-barely an hour after President Muhammadu Buhari departed for Bauchi state on an official engagement.

    TheNewsGuru.com learnt that the meeting between Akpabio and Osinbajo lasted for about two hours. Though details of the meeting were not known, it is believed that it could be related to Akpabio’s planned defection over his rift with the current governor of Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel.

    Coincidentally, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which Akpabio currently belongs, held its National Executive Council (NEC) on Thursday and he was conspicuously absent.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki and other defectors from the APC attended the meeting.

    Recall that the APC recently lost three governors – Sokoto, Kwara and Benue – as well as at least 36 members of the House of Representatives and 14 senators, including Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

    Akpabio whose alleged defection moves to the APC is not new in the media space had constantly denied having such intentions.

    Speaking at the senatorial district end of year get-together on January in Abak, Akpabio, categorically denied nursing any defection plans.

    In his words: “So, all this rumour that Akpabio is going to APC is a mere rumour. The truth is that Akpabio is advising us to make our path straight. The moment we have done that, we are going to move in one direction.

    Ayade

    Governor Ayade’s alleged defection moves is also not fresh. Last week The Cross River State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) stormed the National Secretariat of APC in Abuja, amidst opposition from party staff, to protest against an alleged planned defection by the governor. Some members of staff of the party were said to have opposed the protest against the Cross River State governor from joining APC, as they claimed that no one protested against the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom for defecting from the party.

    On Wednesday at a dinner/maiden edition of the MSMEs Award 2018 held at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja, Osinbajo who is reported to be at the front burner of APC talks with some of the South South, South East governors was seen in high spirits with the governor throughout the programme.

    Meanwhile, a former governor of the state who spoke with TheNewsGuru.com said the defection moves were unconfirmed. “Its all rumours for now,” the former governor told TheNewsGuru.com.

    Findings by TheNewsGuru.com further revealed that Governors Ugwuanyi and Ayade are no longer comfortable with the PDP following disagreements between them and the leadership of the party under Uche Secondus.

    Also of note is the fact that Ayade is the only opposition governor in the South-South that has hosted Buhari twice on a state visit and was recently on the president’s entourage to the ECOWAS summit in Togo.

    Ugwuanyi

    Investigations by TheNewsGuru.com revealed that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has been tactically shying away from PDP affairs as he perfects his exit. He’s also said to have a long-running battle with the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu over control of the party infrastructure in the state.

    Umahi

    For Governor Dave Umahi, his open affection towards President Muhammadu Buhari worries top PDP leaders in the state. Thus his alleged defection plans to the ruling party. Recall also that his predecessor and erstwhile boss, Martins Elechi has long defected to the APC.

     

    More details as events unfold…

  • You can’t use Abakaliki Stadium for rally, Umahi tells APC

    Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has barred members of the All Progressives Congress, Ebonyi State Chapter, from using the Abakaliki Township Stadium as venue of its rally scheduled to hold on Saturday.

    Umahi, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, made the assertion on Thursday while addressing members of the State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria during a courtesy visit.

    He announced that the stadium was undergoing reconstruction work, including asphalting of the entire premises and installation of floodlights.

    “I urge the opposition All Progressives Congress in the state to look elsewhere for its proposed rally slated for Saturday.

    “The Abakaliki Stadium it vowed to use for the rally is still undergoing reconstruction and renovation,” the governor said.

    Continuing, he said, “Abakaliki Stadium, as you all know, has been under reconstruction and as I am talking to you, the asphalt work at the back of the stadium is ongoing and the illumination of the floodlight and the popular stand are ongoing too.”

    The Governor reiterated that any political activity in the stadium, especially by a particular party that is divided along different factions, will jeopardise the construction work in the stadium.

    “We believe in accommodating all the different voices, especially different parties in the state.

    “We don’t want to stifle any opposition. Any opposition with credible integrity that wants to do anything is free to do it; but as for the stadium, you’ll notice for some time that even the state government has not done anything in the stadium because of the work going on there”

    “So, I want to use this opportunity to tell the faction of the APC to start looking for an alternative.

    “Of course, they have their own stadium at Nkwegu Ugballa Grand Arena. The rally can be held there.”

    It would be recalled that a faction of the APC in Ebonyi State has announced that it would hold a mega rally this weekend at the stadium to map out strategies and educate its members ahead of the forthcoming 2019 general election.

    Umahi returned to the state on Wednesday after a two-week investment tour of China geared towards showcasing the economic potentials of Ebonyi State and to also woo foreign investors.

  • Umahi denies dumping PDP says he won’t join failed APC leaders

    David Umahi, governor of Ebonyi state has denied decamping from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Umahi added that “even if there is a need” for him to leave the PDP, he can never leave for the “kind of APC in Ebonyi state”.

    Umahi said this on Tuesday while addressing journalists regarding recent reports that he has left the PDP.

    Said to be an ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, the governor once expressed support for the president to seek a second term in office.

    But he said his relationship with Buhari is personal because the president is his “boss”.

    “Mr. President or any APC person has never asked me to come to APC, and they will never ask me. And there is no reason for me to leave my party, PDP, of which I was the party chairman, deputy governor and now governor,” he said.

    “I have always insisted in character. People that jump from one party to the other should examine their characters, except if there is any problem within your party. As for today, till tomorrow until Christ comes, there is no crisis in PDP.

    “Even if there is a need for me to leave PDP, I can never leave PDP to the kind of APC in Ebonyi state because with the kind of leaders in Ebonyi APC, leaders that have failed Ebonyi state, I can never be on the same political platform with them.”

  • Umahi appoints former ambassador, minister as chairmen of rice mills

    Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has appointed a former Nigerian ambassador and a former minister to manage two rice mills in Ikwo and Izzi Local Government Areas (LGA).

    The appointees are Chief Lawrence Nwuruku, former Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico and former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner, to manage the Ikwo Rice Mill.

    The other appointee, Chief Goddy Ogbaga, a former Minister of State for Power and Steel, is the Chairman of the Rice Mill, located in Iboko, Izzi LGA of the state.

    Umahi made the announcements on Friday during the novelty football matches involving the various arms of governments and parastatals in the state as part of events to mark the 2018 democracy day celebrations.

    The governor commended the organisers of the novelty matches, noting that the excitement had reduced the blood pressure of spectators at the refurbished Pa Ngele Oruta Stadium.

    He also announced a donation of N5 million to participants of the matches with the six winning teams getting N500, 000 each.

    “The four-runners up will get N400, 000 each, while the officials would also get N400, 000,” he said.

    NAN reports that Ogbaga and Nwuruku recently declared their intentions to run for the Ebonyi North and Central Senatorial seats of the state respectively.

  • Herdsmen/farmers clashes: We won’t tolerate open grazing in Ebonyi – Umahi

    …orders traditional rulers to compile data on herdsmen

    Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has directed traditional rulers to collate data on herdsmen operating in the state for easy identification and maintenance of peace.

    Umahi, who gave the order on Friday in Abakaiki at a meeting with traditional rulers and miners in the state, noted that the data should include herdsmen’s names, location and contact phone numbers of their leaders.

    The governor remarked that the decision was reached after series of meetings with security agencies, various committees and representatives of herdsmen in the state.

    “Traditional rulers should hold constant meetings with the herdsmen so that they can identify those from Niger Republic and other areas that foment trouble.

    “We have been living in peace with the herdsmen for several years but still maintain that there would not be movement of cattle from one area to another in the state.”

    He urged the traditional rulers and other concerned authorities to agree on grazing locations with the herdsmen where they would be restricted for their grazing activities.

    “I will provide amenities such as water in such locations because the state government does not have the resources for ranching.

    “When the grasses in such areas finish, you should arrange for another location for grazing because we would not tolerate cattle eating or destroying crops on our farmlands.

    “Trouble is inevitable but we can handle them maturely through the various committees on herdsmen in the villages, communities and state levels,” he said.

    Umahi warned that henceforth, anybody that killed herdsmen’s cows would make double payments with the herdsmen collecting one part and the ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs, collecting the other.

    “The herdsmen will be severely warned if they destroy farmers’ crops and when such persists after investigations, the herdsmen would be forced to leave the community.

    “We want to put such restraining measures to prevent cattle rustling because the cows are dear to the herdsmen while the crops are dear to the farmers.

    He noted that existing mining laws in the state would be reviewed to make illegal miners to get jail term of five years for engaging in such activities.

    “We would send the bill to the House of Assembly as it would also become illegal for traditional rulers or town unions to lease mining sites without government’s clearance,” the governor said.

    Chief Samuel Okoronkwo, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, noted that the ministry had intensified efforts to check the activities of illegal miners, especially those from neighbouring Imo and others states.

    “We have also sensitised traditional rulers, town unions and other stakeholders to engage the government in mining activities in their areas to enable government to generate the accruing revenue.’’

    The Chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council in the state, Igwe Charles Mkpuma, pledged that traditional rulers would collaborate with the government to check illegal mining activities.

    A miner in the state, Chief Basil Igboke, noted that mining business was capital intensive and appealed to the government for financial assistance to support miners.