12th June, 2022
Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi said he has lost total confidence in the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo, an Igbo socio-cultural organization in Nigeria.
Umahi made the declaration on Saturday at his hometown, Uburu, during the maiden matriculation ceremony of the King David University of Medical Sciences.
The governor also berated the southeast zone’s delegates at the just-concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary, insisting that they “traded” their votes.
The governor who said he was making his first public speech after the primary, said that no one should henceforth complain of the marginalization of the Igbos due to the delegates’ conduct.
“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 Igbos in the nation.
“I implored that they should vote for any southeast aspirant so that when the votes are counted, we would not be missing.
“We would have made a strong statement in the process that the Igbos are eminently qualified with a due capacity to lead the country,” he said.
He regretted that conversely, the delegates ‘traded’ their votes while only those from Ebonyi voted for him and others.
“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 an 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 marginalization of the Igbos to the fore,” he said.
Umahi commended the delegates from Ebonyi for their trust and steadfastness, assuring that other people would soon realise that money is not everything.
“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 organization and will openly confront anyone who challenges the Ebonyi agenda,” he said.
Umahi garnered the highest votes of 38 by any southeast aspirant in the primary, won by former Lagos Governor, Bola Tinubu.