EBONYI: As Umahi receives Atiku, he says ‘Buhari is my personal friend’

David Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi State, has described President Muhammadu Buhari as his “personal friend”.

Umahi said this on Friday at a meeting with Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, his campaign team, and members of the state traditional rulers council.

The governor said Buhari deserves respect from him as the president and that it has nothing to do with politics.

Umahi has been accused of undue fraternisation with the president even at the possible expense of his party at the polls.

But describing Ebonyi as “totally for PDP”, he said his pledge to ensure that the party wins the state at the presidential poll “is beyond any compromise.”

“Ebonyi state is PDP. Ebonyi state has always been the strongest PDP state from day one. We have come of age and our eyes are wide open and let me say sir that the president is my personal friend and it has nothing to do with politics, he is a sitting president and deserves my respect,” Umahi said.

“That has nothing to do with politics. Let nobody bring that into politics of Ebonyi state.”

On his part, the PDP presidential candidate said he is committed to promoting unity across the country.

The governor’s statement is coming two days after the state’s council of traditional rulers endorsed Buhari, his relationship with the president cited as one of the reasons.