Former Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and stakeholder of the nation’s main opposition party, Femi Fani-Kayode has stated that if the news making waves that the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi is set to dump the Peoples Democratic Party for the ruling All Progressives Party is true, the PDP should immediately swing into action and ensure he doesn’t leave the party.
Punch Newspaper had reported that Umahi intimated the members of the National Working Committee of the PDP of his decision to join the APC, claiming that the ruling All Progressives Congress would protect the interest of the South-East in the 2023 elections.
The governor who received a delegation of the party’s NWC which was led by the National Chairman, Uche Secondus, was said not to be convinced by the delegation’s persuasion to stay, insisting that the APC was planning to zone the 2023 Presidency to the South-East.
Reacting to the development, Fani-Kayode in a statement on his Twitter page, wrote “The rumor that my friend & brother Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi state is planning to leave
@OfficialPDPNig & join @OfficialAPCNg is troubling. I am yet to confirm if it is true & I will see him in the next few days to know the true position of things but if it is then I urge the leadership of the PDP to do all they can to ensure that he stays. Not only is he a profoundly good man and an excellent Governor but his contributions to the success of the PDP over the last 20 years at various levels is immeasurable and simply extraordinary
“Apart from that, he happens to be a good friend of mine & someone I hold in high esteem and have immense respect & affection for. Unlike many he is forthright & his word is his bond. He is either with u or against u, he is fearless & bold &he has the courage of his convictions.3
“What makes the matter worse is that other Governors or may also contemplate leaving if he does because he has a lot of friends & goodwill amongst them. If that happens it will affect our party’s chances in the 2023 presidential election in a very significant way
“Again I call on the National Chairman and the NWC of our great party to do all they can to keep Umahi on board. He is one of our brightest and best and losing him to the APC would be a monumental error and great tragedy”
