Umahi slams Ohanaeze, says South-East delegates sold their votes

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, has slammed the President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor George Obiozor, and delegates from the South-East over their failure to support the course for an Igbo presidency.

Umahi was a presidential aspirant on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress but lost the party’s presidential primary to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

On his return to Ebonyi, the Governor thanked all those who supported him and his ambition despite the outcome of the presidential primary.

He, however, lamented that Obiozor could not stand for Igbos when it mattered so much, adding that he no longer respects and sees him as his president in terms of Ohanaeze Ndgibo..

He said, “First, let me say to Ebonyi people, you are wonderful people, the Presidential election was a great eyeopener to every son and daughter of Ebonyi State and with your support, we fought very gallantly.

“I had a series of meetings with the party’s chairmen in the five states of the zone in the company of its national vice chairman.

“I implored the delegates that the issue was not about me but the mood of the Igbos in the nation.

“I implored that they should vote for any South-East aspirant so that when the votes are counted, we would not be missing.

“We would have made a strong statement in the process that the Igbos are eminently qualified with due capacity to lead the country,”

“There was no sort of lobbying I did not receive but I maintained that it was about bringing the marginalisation of the Igbos to the fore,”

“The setting of the Nation is well skilled against any contest for Igbo man, while every zone has about eight States or more and South East has only five, how do you expect an Igbo man to win a contest under this kind of arrangement.

“Prof. Obiozor could not stand for Igbos when it mattered so much, it is a very big shame, I have no confidence in him and he is no longer my President. In the comity of South East, Ebonyi people are not regarded, I continue to say that Ebonyi will never be Biafra.

“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.”

Governor Umahi also vented regrets at the conduct of Delegates from other South-East states who sold their votes to willing buyers instead of standing in defense of the calls for the Igbo Presidency.

“I am the Governor of Ebonyi State, the only agenda I have for 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 have been rekindled to fight for us.

“When Honourable people are needed in South East, they will come to Ebonyi State, everything is not money.”