Governor of Ebonyi State Dave Umahi, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other dignitaries yesterday commissioned the newly constructed Ebonyi State Governor’s Lodge at Asokoro District in Abuja.
The event was attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamilla, Governor of Kano State Abdullahi Ganmduje, his Borno State counterpart, Babagana Zulum; Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, Jigawa State Governor Abubakar Badaru, Senator Orji Uzo Kalu and former governor of Jigawa State Saminu Turaki.
At the launch of the imposing four-floor edifice, Umahi said his state remains loyal to the APC and would work to deliver it to the party in the 2023 presidential election.
He said, “I want to thank the incoming president of Nigeria for making time to be here. We were in a meeting with him till 2 am today (yesterday), we had a rally in Jos, Plateau State and for him to be here with these governors is really an honoor to Ebonyi State.
“Ebonyi State is only Obi-Dient to APC, on the 22nd of this month, we will do a rally that is never witnessed in the entire South East in Ebonyi State. And any party that comes to Ebonyi and is able to get 10 percent of the population, we will allocate some votes to you. Because none of you can do that.
“We welcome Asiwaju and the Governors to Ebonyi State to the mother of all rallies. You will see what an Engineer can do when you come. We are not hiding to say you are our candidate, we are not hiding to say that you will take care of the south East people. We are not hiding to say that all our votes will be for the APC. There is no mistake about that.
“The coordinator of the South East is here, Chief Hope Uzodinma, the people of South East we have spoken to and I am the chairman of the South East Governors Forum, so, I speak on their behalf, we know where it will be better for us in 2023 and that is APC,” he said.
Tinubu who commended Umahi said he had transformed the state and would be leaving it better than he met it.
Tinubu said, “This is our joy of seeing a man changing the place he met better than he saw it when he first came in. Today is historical and may this building reflect the progress of our people, the Ebonyi people and the prosperity of this country. As a politician, I am of the APC stock and the APC will be very progressive and will continue to carry you along with our progress.”
On his part, Governor Ganduje said the edifice speaks the mind of Umahi and his strides at infrastructural development in the state, He urged him to continue with the good work.
According to the state commissioner for information, Uchenna Orji, the construction of the edifice started in 2020 and was completed in 2022, adding that it was another feather to the mantra of development celebrated across the length and breadth of the State.
“It has four floors with world-class facilities from the ground floor to the 4th floor, including a swimming pool and a relaxation area, gym house, different sections of lodge, Cinema house, sauna and changeover rooms, internet facilities, CCTV footage, 24-hour power supply and other state-of-the art facilities,” Orji said.
