The Ebonyi State Governor, and Chairman, South-East Governors’ Forum, David Umahi, on Sunday, chided the President-General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor George Obiozor, for his alleged role in the failure of the aspirants from the region in the just concluded presidential primaries.
In what looked like a vote of no confidence in Obiozor, Umahi declared he would no longer recognise him as the PG of the pan-Igbo body.
Umahi, a former presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, alleged that Obiozor was partisan, “instead of making himself a rallying point during the struggle for the presidency of Igbo extraction”.
According to the visibly angry Umahi, who stated this during a warn reception in his honour by his supporters, after the APC presidential ticket contest in Abuja, Obiozor failed to stand for the South-East region when it mattered most, saying, “It is a very big shame, I have no confidence in him and he is no longer my President.”
The governor lambasted delegates from other South-East states, who, according to him, sold their votes to willing buyers instead of standing in defence of the calls for the Igbo Presidency.
“I weep for our leaders; we are now regarded as people that will sell anything for the sake of money; it is about equity, justice, and fairness upon which I continue to shout for the unity of this country.”
Umahi said he was no longer interested in the South-East agenda, but Ebonyi agenda only, assuring the people that he would fight publicly anyone against the interest of Ebonyi people.
“I am the Governor of Ebonyi State, the only agenda I have for the South-East now is ‘Ebonyi Agenda’. I continue to say that he who sells his brother, even the buyer will not trust him.
“Anyone that fights against the interest of Ebonyi people in the South-East, I will fight the person publicly. Ndigbo, get your PVC and bond together, you have seen that nobody wants you anymore, we have the fighting spirit and the spirit of our founding fathers has been rekindled to fight for us.
“When honourable people are needed in the South-East, they will come to Ebonyi State, everything is not money,” he concluded.