The Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, has said that he wants to be a martyr who will be sacrificed to achieve the much-sought Igbo Presidency, come 2023
Governor Umahi made the declaration on Tuesday, in Abakaliki, the State capital, while briefing Newsmen, noting that, only martyrs make sacrifices for the peoples’ interest in difficult times.
The Governor, who confirmed that he is defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressive Congress, APC, said that he will not regret the decision, no matter its outcome.
His words: “I have to lead the protest against the marginalisation of the Igbos by the PDP, and I do not have to consult anybody to lead such a protest.
“I do not want the PDP to collapse in the South-East, but it can collapse itself in the zone, if it does not heed to the peoples’ advice to entrench justice, fairness, and equity.
“The PDP should be bold to declare its stand on zoning of the Presidency to the South-East, and if it cannot, should tell us why we are not capable of holding such a position, but will come for our votes during elections.
“I am not vying for any position in the APC, so anybody who does not like me over the defection, will be fighting the air.
“I will instead play the fatherly role of guiding anyone who wants to vie for any position, because it is a waste of time for any Governor to seek replacing himself.
“When you are looking for everybody to be loyal to you in politics, you might not get to your destination because destinations are not straight but full of obstacles.
“The APC, however, appears to be amenable towards working with the South-East, even though the South-East never supported it the way it supported the PDP since 1999.
“We would be 24 years with the PDP by 2023, and Ebonyi, under my administration, will testify the numerous feats we have attained with the support of my friend and father, President Muhammadu Buhari.”
“I will have no regrets if our agitations are not met in APC as it will be on record that a governor was sacrificed for the betterment of his people on what is rightfully, their due.
“We will still protest if we are still unfairly treated in the APC because protest is the beauty of democracy and if it doesn’t work now, it can work in future.”