Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi has said the South East social-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo has no stake in his ambition to become President in 2023
Umahi who was at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, earlier today to inform President Muhammadu Buhari of his decision to contest the presidency on the platform of the All Progressive Congress APC, said the pan Igbo group is not expected to meddle in partisan politics, hence shouldn’t be a factor in his consultations to emerge as a presidential candidate.
His response came while fielding questions from State House Correspondents, who had requested to know if he had consulted the Ohaneze Ndigbo to weigh the possibilities of the South East producing a consensus candidate from the region.
According to Umahi, “Ohaneze leadership should not play politics. Yes, they can speak for the interest of the South East, they can speak for fair treatment to South East as a people, but as a matter of equity, justice and fairness, and leaving a level playing field for all the political parties and the aspirants.
“They should not dabble into politics or whom to support or whom not to support. I think that they hear it just like they heard of the other political parties aspirants. We will also write them to notify them that yes, they have capable sons and daughters that if God wills, that could do this job”.
Umahi’s declaration which comes barely 24 hours after former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu declared interest to contest for the presidency by 2023 may have clearly raised the momentum for the 2023 Presidential race, even as more aspirants are expected to declare their intentions in the days ahead.