BY CHUKWUMA NNAM
Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi has lambasted the former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode for saying he was responsible for his defection from the opposition party, PDP to the ruling All Progressive Party, APC.
He charged Fani-Kayode to as a matter of urgency withdraw the statement, adding that the decision to join the APC was not influenced by anyone.
Recall that Thursday in Abuja, Fani-Kayode officially declared for the APC before President Muhammadu Buhari, telling journalists he wooed three present Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, including Umah to the APC.
He had listed other governors that he influenced their defection as Ben Ayade of Cross River, and Bello Matawalle of Zamfara.
Today, Friday during an interview on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, Umahi said Fani-Kayode played no role in his defection.
His words: “I think he needs to withdraw that statement, he’s my good friend but it was an insult to my person and the other governors.
“The man did not know when I moved but he incidentally visited me and he said he’s coming to join me with the other governors to declare. How would someone in the PDP be instrumental in my moving? A whole governor of a state, not even a small governor, an experienced one.
“He has to withdraw his statement. He was never part of any discussion of my movement. I moved South-East to the centre of administration. I moved to close the gap between the centre and South East, which our forefathers like Nnamdi Azikwe, fought for.
“For somebody to say that he’s instrumental to the movement of a whole chairman of South East Governors’ Forum is a bit of an insult to my person. And with all due respect, he has to withdraw that statement.”
