Following Governor David Nweze Umahi’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), he has continued to receive fresh attacks from the Ebonyi State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus of the National Assembly.
During a press conference by the caucus on Wednesday at the National Assembly, the lawmakers insisted that Umahi should have been grateful to the PDP; being the greatest beneficiary of the party, instead of the “impolitic and indecent” defection.
Members of the caucus, including Senator Sam Egwu (PDP, Ebonyi North), Senator Obinna Ogba (PDP, Ebonyi Central), Senator Michael Amah Nnachi (PDP, Ebonyi South), Hon. Sylvester Ogbaga (PDP, Abakaliki/Izzi Constituency), Hon. Iduma Igariwey (PDP, Afikpo North/Afikpo South), Hon Chukwuma Nwazunku (Ebonyi/Ohaukwu), Hon. Livinus Makwe (PDP, Onicha/Ohaozara/Ivo) and Hon Edwin Nwonu (Ishielu/Ezza North), said they remain “proud card carrying members of the PDP, despite Umahi’s defection”.
Speaking on behalf of others, leader of the Caucus and former Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Sam Ominyi Egwu, said that Umahi’s defection is illegal since there was no “crisis” in the PDP as required by law, reminding the Governor that the PDP made him and his family members and does not deserve the treatment the Governor was meting out to the party.
He said: “For the sake of clarity, we wish to state that not a single member of the Ebonyi state caucus of the National Assembly is defecting to the APC. The three Senators and five House of Representatives members remain proud card carrying members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the platform under which we contested and won elections in 2019.
“Indeed, if there is any Ebonyi person who should remain eternally grateful to the PDP, that individual should be the governor, David Umahi. A man who was appointed the Ebonyi state chapter Chairman of the PDP, made Deputy Governor of the PDP administration and was elected for two terms under the banner of the PDP.
“As governor, his younger brothers were elected to principal offices of the PDP, one Mr. Austin Umahi as the Southeast Zonal Chairman of the PDP and another, Mr. Maxwell Umahi, as the Deputy state Chairman of the PDP.
“As democrats, we concede Chief Umahi’s right to join any political association of his choice. However, as Federal lawmakers, we are not unaware of the Supreme Court decision that candidates are products of political parties. What it means is that political office holders are not at liberty to migrate from one political platform to another, particularly when there is no division in their party.”
