The governor of Ebonyi, Dave Umahi, claims that delegates from the south-east “traded their votes” in the All Progressives Congress’s recently concluded presidential primary.
Former Lagos governor Bola Tinubu was declared the primary winner on Wednesday after receiving 1,271 votes.
Tinubu ran against 13 other presidential hopefuls, including Umahi, who received 38 votes.
Speaking at the inaugural matriculation ceremony of the King David University of Medical Sciences in his hometown of Uburu on Saturday, Umahi stated that his focus would now be on Ebonyi rather than the Igbo in general.
“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 Igbo 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,” NAN quoted him as saying.
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“We would have made a strong statement in the process that the Igbo are eminently qualified with due capacity to lead the country.
“They will come later to preach about Igbo unity and its agenda but henceforth, the only agenda I know is the Ebonyi agenda. This shows that even if we have equal number of local government areas and delegates such as other zones, we would still trade our votes.
“We are currently regarded as people who can sell anything but they should remember that anyone who betrays his brother will lose the trust of those who gained from the betrayal.
“There was no sort of lobbying I did not receive, but I maintained that it was about bringing the marginalisation of the Igbo to the fore.
“You (Ebonyi delegates) have made yourselves reference points of steadfastness in the country and when people are seeking trustworthy people, they will come for you.
“I have lost total confidence in the leadership of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo socio-cultural organisation, and will openly confront anyone who challenges the Ebonyi agenda.”
via: Information Nigeria
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