From Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, yesterday told the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that he cannot return to the party.
Umahi said he has performed better under APC and would never return to ‘Egypt.’
He berated those peddling rumour that he wanted to go back to PDP, saying purveyors of the fake news deserved to be severely flogged. The governor spoke at the new Government House chapel at the Centenary City, Abakaliki, during a special thanksgiving service to end the year.
He, however, commended the opposition PDP for keeping him and his goverment in checks but challenged them on constructive criticisms.
“Some people were writing the other day that Umahi wants to go back to PDP. Why will somebody open the very smelling mouth and say this me with all these achievements wants to go back to Egypt. That man supposed to be flogged 30 times when he can’t even find a road to go to his compound and he is telling me that I want to go back to PDP. Let him bring all the governors of his party let us debate.
“And to the opposition parties, thank you very much because you are keeping us in checks but the kind of opposition in Ebonyi State is a kind of bitterness, and that is not opposition. Opposition urge to be constructive,” he said.
On President Muhammadu Buhari’s planned visit, he said nobody or group could stop the the president from visiting the state any time he wanted him to visit Ebonyi.
“I saw where one misguided element that calls himself IPOB spokesman said Mr. President is not welcomed in Ebonyi. He is a misguided element. I was in Paris and I told Mr. President that the leaders of South East will want to visit him over the issue of peace in South East. I appealed to him to postpone the visit to early next year but I didn’t want to tell our people because I was pushing for the completion of most of the projects as if Mr. President was going to come this year. So, Mr. President will come when we want him to come. That guy is inconsequential human being. If he is serious, let him lead the war to Ebonyi State and let him see if he will find a foot to go back.