Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state Tuesday formally informed President Muhammadu Buhari of 2023 presidential ambition on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This is coming barely 24 hours after a chieftain of the party Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu told the President of his ambition to contest for the APC presidential ticket.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents after a meeting with Buhari in his office in Abuja, the governor said the President advised him to consult widely.
The governor said he was not perturbed by Tinubu’s entry into the race as he believes that the contest is not about might.
He said if he gets the opportunity, his presidency would replicate the current effort in Ebonyi state at the national level, stressing that he has a lot to show in running governance as business.
“I told Mr. President, that without prejudice to whatever will be the decision of the party, which we shall abide by, that if the party throws the ticket open or zoned to southern part of Nigeria that I believe that with what I have put in place in the past six years plus, that I’ll be running for presidency, on the platform of APC.
“So, I told him and, of course, he believes that whoever wants to run for president of this country must have to consult widely, go to all the leaders and that we must do everything to remove ethnicity and religion in our politics so that this country can grow,” he said.
On APC convention
“I’m not Mr. President who must have the final say on the date for convention. And I don’t believe that the governor you mentioned should have spoken for the party because if it is APC governors forum, we have a leader, the chairman who is the His Excellency, the governor of Kebbi State.
“He wasn’t even aware of the meeting when I called him. And if it is the party administration, we have His Excellency, the governor of Yobe state. And I think these two would have been able to speak to the press, if we’re going to have such a meeting on Sunday. So I was not aware but I had to inquire from the chairman of APC Governors Forum who wasn’t also aware. So I’m not sure the meeting held.
“But I read on a newspaper sometimes when the party leadership came to brief Mr. President, and they told him February convention. Mr. President said yes. He is not a man that says yes and says no, at the same time, he is a man of integrity, he is a man of his words. So I believe that if he ever said February that is going to stick to that February. I am very sure of that but it is for him to speak or for the party leadership to speak. I speak for my state.”
On Ohaneze Ndigbo“Ohaneze leadership should not play politics. Yes, they can speak for the interest of the south East, they can speak for fair treatment to south East as people but as a matter of equity, justice and fairness, and leaving a level playing field for all the political parties and the aspirants.
“They should not dabble into politics or whom to support or whom not to support. I think that they hear it just like the heard other the political parties aspirants. We will also write them to notify them that yes, they have culpable sons and daughters that if God wills, that could do this job.”
In a related development, former governor of Abia state and Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Tuesday declared that he would contest for the All Progressives Congress presidential ticket if the party zones the position to the south.
“I have all it takes to throw my hat into the ring and contest with anybody from the southern axis of the country if our party zoned its Presidential ticket to the area.
“Tinubu like any other qualified Nigerian , is isligible to run for the Nation’s number one position but those of us from the South East feel the zone should be considered in terms of zoning.
“If however is left open , I will square it up with Tinubu and any other contender grit for grit,” he said.
