David Umahi, the Ebonyi State Governor and Chairman South East Governor’s forum, on Tuesday said he and his supporters will not vote along party lines when it comes to the presidential elections in 2019.
According to him, the state will vote for a presidential candidate that will help develop the state irrespective of his or her political affiliation.
He said the state will not play politics of sentiments in the 2019 presidential election.
Mr. Umahi spoke at the government house, Abakaliki, during a meeting with traditional rulers and town union presidents in the state.
“When it comes to presidency, we no dey do party,” he said. “It is the man that will help us to develop this state, that’s the man we will support. But for governorship, national assembly and state assembly don’t go there. Nobody will touch it. for presidency, we will negotiate, we will like the person to discuss with our traditional rulers as stakeholders.”
Mr. Umahi’s party, PDP, is Nigeria’s largest opposition party, although it led the country for 16 years: 1999-2016.
Although it is currently factionalised, the PDP, or whatever it transforms to become, is expected to be the main challenger to Nigeria’s ruling APC in the 2019 presidential elections.
Mr. Umahi’s statement, in a state traditionally considered a PDP state, may indicate the party will have a lot to do if it wants to win the 2019 elections.
The governor, who called on the traditional rulers to mobilise residents for Saturday’s local government and councillorship elections, noted that the state was targeting one million voters in the election.
“As traditional rulers, we cannot tell you to vote for this party or that party but you have the responsibility to knack the gong and make it compulsory that nobody goes to market, nobody goes to farm on the election day.
“You have to go and knack the gong and you have powers and authority to do that. In the north, it is the traditional rulers that determine the course of politics and I will give you people that role. So, don’t shy away from politics for the peace of Ebonyi state.
“On Friday, there will be public holiday, I will declare public holiday so that people will come out enmass to vote on Saturday. I want the nation to know that Ebonyi can give one million votes,” the governor said.
Responding, the Chairman of Traditional Rulers Council, Charles Mkpuma, lauded Mr. Umahi for his developmental strides, adding that he has been adopted as their sole candidate for 2019 governorship election in the state.
