Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Umahi told journalists in Abakaliki that he moved to the APC because of PDP’s injustice to the Southeast region.
He however said he had no regrets moving to the APC from the PDP, but denied any deal with the APC with regards to zoning of the presidential position to the southeast..
Earlier, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State had said Umahi’s defection to the APC was a testament that the ruling party had gained acceptance in the South East of the country.
Uzodimma, who spoke to journalists at the APC national secretariat, Abuja, hinted that more high profile defections were underway.
The governor said he was in Abuja to consult with party leaders ahead of the Imo North Senatorial poll scheduled to hold December 6.
He said: “If you recall when I addressed you here couple of months ago, I told you that the moment I resume Office in Imo State as the Governor, that the impression and the perception of our party in South-east will change and the resultant effect will be that more credible individuals and Governors will even join the party.
“Today I am being vindicated because we are hearing it and I’m sure few hours from now we get a confirmation that one of our best will be joining the party and is the Governor of Ebonyi State. Of course, I will be very glad and it will be my joy to welcome a Governor and more Governors, not only him, we are still talking more governors to join.
“APC is the ruling party and for the interest of national integration and cohesion, Imo and South East indeed, needs to become part and parcel of the ruling party to make the Nigerian project a complete project.”
“The most important thing is APC to win the election. The party has internal mechanism of confirming who the candidate is. The Supreme Court has said it, the Electoral Act has said it.
” Every party has the right and it is only the party that sponsors a candidate. Of course we have our candidate, there are some few legal issues going on. I don’t want to go into that now because the matter is pending in court is subjudice but at the end of the day we have a candidate.”