The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, has said that the large number presidential aspirants from the South West and South South betrays the years of loyalty of the South East on power rotation in the country.
The Ebonyi Governor said that the large number aspirants from the other regions of the South has made the South East to become suspicious of possible sabotage of the region’s move to produce the next President.
Umahi made the comment while speaking with State House Correspondents after visiting President Buhari to present a “Thank You” letter from the leaders of South East after his visit to Ebonyi.
He stressed that the South East which supported the South West for eight years and the South South for six years had assumed that the next president would come from the region for equity fairness and justice.
He recalled that it was the unanimous decision of the South that the Presidency should rotate between North and South.
The Governor insisted that if the demand of the South for the Presidency is based on equity, fairness snd justice, then the South East should have the right of first refusal.
He stressed the decision of the whole of the South to contested for the position only shows that the demand was not genuine, which makes it proper for all Northern politicians with interest to contest.
He said: “We were all part of that meeting on the side of the southern governors. But some of us, you know, thought it was a collective request. And it was, you know, a sincere and genuine request and we believe it is.
“But we also thought that they had South East in mind, since South East has supported South West for eight years and supported South South for six years. And this was the thoughts that the southeast, you know, had in mind.
“But when the game became on, and a lot of people from the South West, a lot of people from South South and their numbers in each of these regions, you know, are even more than that of South East.
“Our people became suspicious of this collective request and agitation. And so they are demanding that if the basis of asking for presidency to come to the South, is on the platform of that equity, justice and fairness, that on moral ground that South East should have the right of first refusal.
“But that is not the case. And so a lot of people are beginning to think that in the first place, it was not a genuine demand. And it wasn’t based on fairness, equity and justice. And that it could be termed to be blackmail.
“And so our position is that look, if everybody from the South is going to be vying for this, then, why is it that everybody from the north, you know, who wishes not join too vie for it?
This means that we’ve jettison the so called equity, justice and the fairness, and there will be jettisoning zoning.
“And so I wouldn’t know how anybody else outside South East and maybe North East, will be talking about equity, fairness and justice, if such a person is also contesting.
“So that platform could be termed to be, a ploy to deceive or in another language, a blackmail.
“Our position remains that it is the turn of South East, if it is to rotate between North and the South. And if it is thrown open on the basis of these two regions, North East and the Southeast, then they’ll have equal stake, if we’re talking about justice, equity and fairness.”
Umahi who also spoke on the raging issue of former President Jonathan’s strongly speculated interest in the race said it would be a global wonder, and a material for the Guiness book of records.
He added that it would be difficult for APC to campaign with Jonathan as its presidential candidate.
“Jonathan is my father and God used him and the wife to make me a Governor of the state and so, anybody who has done anything for me, I’ve always remained very grateful to such person and I will continue to be very grateful to him, the wife for being available as my destiny helper, to achieve that feat.
“Probably if that miracle did not take place, then the miracles that happened in Ebonyi State, in terms of total evolution and transformation wouldn’t have taken place.
“So, he’s a man we can’t forget, just like Sani Abacha, who created the state and Mr. President. Of course, we’ve named the airport after him, we’ve named the light tunnel after him, we’ve named the Presidential Lodge after him.
“Good intention that we don’t forget people who have helped us, but on the question of joining, I may not say much about that because I’ve seen a lot of write ups, denials, but if a decides to join and to run, it will, for me, become one of the wonders in this century.
“The reason is that if you go and see the campaign programmes of APC and you now ask President Jonathan to come and run, I don’t know what will be our campaign promises and what will be the stories we’ll be telling Nigerians.
“I believe strongly that he was not aware of the forms and I want to believe that people that are mischievous would have bought the forms to embarrass him.
“But from what I read, he has quickly distanced himself from that. But like I said, if that is not the case, then the Guinness Book of Records is not totally filled up.”