Ebonyi State governor Chief David Umahi has declared that “no force, power, propaganda and manipulation” would stop the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from being sworn-in as president on May 29, 2023.
Governor Umahi made the declaration at the Governor’s Office, New Government House, Abakaliki when the speaker of the state House of Assembly and governor-elect, Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, presented his certificate of return to the outgoing governor.
He expressed concern over what he described as extreme politics in the country insisting that extreme politics must be deemphasized in the country to enable the incoming administration focus on building a new and better Nigeria.
“When I told people that Tinubu would win, many didn’t believe me. There is no power or force that will remove Tinubu from being president because the time God would have stopped him, God allowed him. Because God allowed him, no man could stop him. Extreme politics must be deemphasised in Nigeria so that we can begin to build a better Nigeria,” he said.
Umahi who maintained that he is still in the race for the position of the Senate president of the 10th Assembly, added that the Nigerian constitution is superior to any protocol or any other rule or order being projected by certain individuals.
“I am vying for the position of president of the Senate. People can say all that they want to say but what I am sure is that the constitution of Nigeria is superior to any protocol. Let anybody say to me that as a party chairman for five years, as deputy governor for four years and governor for almost eight years that I am not qualified to be Senate president.
“It is not how far that matters or how long, it is your ability, it is what you have done to keep the nation Nigeria together, it is your sacrifices in nation building, these are very important.
“When people talk about ranking, I don’t understand what is ranking, the basis of ranking should be your ability on the project Nigeria,” he said.
Governor Umahi who dedicated the victory of APC governorship candidate to God also described as a joke the claim by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state that they won the election.
The chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum also described as an effort in futility, the suit filed by the PDP governorship candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii challenging the victory of Nwifuru, adding that the triumph of APC in the state was anchored on hard work, commitment and the people’s wishes and aspirations.
Umahi noted that it is despicable for anyone from Ebonyi South senatorial zone to succeed him adding that a lot of PDP governors in the past had earlier tried such and ended up losing their state to the opposition parties.
“It is an act of stupidity for anyone to think that after the Ebonyi North and Central which are one people and constitute 2/3 of the state and helping Ebonyi South to take their turn, that we should become greedy and we want to take another turn, that is crazy and unacceptable to any normal human being,” he added.
Umahi also decried the high level of bitter politics played in the state and expressed sadness that people who know that they didn’t make any impact during the election will drag the clear winners to the tribunal, appeal court and other courts simply to distract the people and create false impressions.
