By Samson Nwafor
Plots are in the offing to recall some National Assembly members from Ebonyi State, as well as some of the State’s Assembly members who have vowed to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after Governor David Umahi’s defected to the All Progressives Congress.
Recall that eight National Assembly members elected in the platform of the PDP from the State had within 24hours Umahi’s made his defection to APC public, held a press conference in Abuja and disowned the Governor for joining APC and disavowed him; just as about 8 out of the 24 State’s Assembly members had openly vowed to remain in PDP.
Governor David Umahi gave the hint on the plots to recall the lawmakers, on Monday, while addressing both elected and appointed officials of the 13 Local Government Area of the State who paid him a solidarity visit at the new Governor’s lodge, Ochoudo centenary city Abakaliki.
The Governor disclosed that the information had been leaked to him, but urged them to drop the plan, and allow the lawmakers in peace, for now.
“There is information they leaked to to me, that the grassroots are very angry with some National Assembly members, and some State Assembly members, and they want to use this opportunity to gather signatures at the polling units to recall them.
“I don’t want you to do that. Please, don’t do that. Allow them to still exist. I am the father of them all; whether they like it or not. Let’s not give them trouble. Allow them to be in peace, except any pikin wey say eh Papa go sleep. But until then, let there be peace”, he said.
Umahi further assured them that if he could conquer in 2015, when he had very few persons with him, the current political battle ahead of 2023, would be a walk-over.
“When we started this journey in 2014, we were not afraid and we were very few. So, how much more now. You know the remnants of the house of Saul that think they are distracting us. May be, they are talking to one or two of our officials, and so, they are having the feelings that they can penetrate our government.
“But let them know that in 2014, we were not up to the 5 percent of the people we have now. So, if 5 percent could don’t, how much more this number we have now.
“So, what should you be afraid of? Why should you talk to the remnants of the house of Saul. They don’t have the grassroots? They can only be making noise elsewhere, they can’t make it in the land of Ebonyi. So, why would you talk or listen to them?
“This election is not going to happen in Abuja, na Ebonyi state e go happen. People that want to retire themselves from politics, na look, I go de look them”, Umahi told the officials.
The Governor who said there was never a defection that generated the kind of ripples that his recent defection to APC had generated, added that the hands of God was upon it.
“There is no defection in the land of this country that ever made the kind of noise, this one is making. Don’t you think that the hands of God are upon this.”
Umahi added that, “whether South-East likes it or not, I have sacrificed myself to forcefully bring South-East to the politics of the centre.
He said it was under President Buhari that Ebonyi became a state.
“It is under President Buhari that Ebonyi became a state and you can’t say is under PDP. It is the support Mr President gave to all the States; and this is the product of our own. So, when you talk about commitment, it is Mr. President that has given us the commitment upon which our state got developed.
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