ABAKALIKI—GOVERNOR David Umahi of Ebonyi State has called on the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole to stay away from Ebonyi State with his blackmails and undemocratic principle in handling the affairs of stakeholders in the country.
The governor stated this while reacting to the statement credited to the embattled national chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who requested Governor Umahi to render an apology for allegedly refusing a faction of the party in the state to use the state stadium for their rally.
Governor Umahi described the statement as not just childish but also pure blackmail aimed at scoring public sympathy and cheap political points.
Umahi who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor described the statement as baseless and one of the propaganda of the APC whom he said has lost touch with the masses especially in Ebonyi state.
“It is very shameful for the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole to have made the statement credited to him while in the state. He has disappointed Nigerians in his usual naked dance when he said Governor Umahi denied a faction of his party usage of the Pa Ngele Oruta International Stadium which is undergoing reconstruction.
“It became more childish for the national party chairman who had earlier called Governor Umahi on phone and informed him of his coming to the state to have made such ridiculous statement whereas he was aware of the decision of a faction of his party to shift the date for the rally to 11th August.
“Oshiomhole and Umahi have shared great friendship before this rally and as a sitting governor, Umahi while in Edo state to conduct governorship primary election of PDP in 2014 did not only pay a courtesy call on Oshiomhole but had personal interaction as brothers despite their differences in political association. This is a pure example of political maturity exhibited by Umahi which APC lacks.
“One would have expected Oshiomhole as a senior comrade to show respect to a sitting governor if he was not hypocritical in his alleged relationship and tolerance for opposition but he decided to fly into Abakaliki, enjoyed the ambience of a serene environment and drove round a beautiful city with the best road network in the country and then mounted the podium and started spewing his usual political blackmail which he has been known for.
“More worrisome is his visible silence over the factions in his party in the state and his inability to fuse the divided party into one but has descended so low to demand apology from a sitting governor over a stadium that is under construction.
“APC has been rejected by Nigerians and Ebonyians have no reason whatsoever to identify with a political party without known direction towards the betterment of the country. “This is what Oshiomhole should be concerned about and not waiting for apology from Governor Umahi because he will have to wait forever”
Uzor further maintained that APC through its national chairman owe Nigerians apology for misleading the masses and destroying the country.
PDP faults Oshiomhole’s claim
Meanwhile, the PDP also described as hypocritical and unpardonable, claims by the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, that there was a clampdown on members of his party during the APC rally by the Ebonyi state government.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party accused the former Edo state governor of spinning ‘tales’ to score cheap political points.
“Oshiomhole has turned himself into a laughing stock and a cartoon character among Nigerians due to his unabated unguarded comments. He has now taken to fabrication of tales, symptomatic of a confused leader seeking to score cheap political points.”
