Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has been taken to the cleaners by former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo.

Nwodo said: “As regards Governor Dave Umahi blaming the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof George Obiozor, for that poor outcome for South-East presidential aspirants, I don’t think he is quite correct. If you are to apportion blame, he must take a lot of the blame himself.”

“He is the chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum; I believe that almost a year or a year and six months before these primary elections, that body never met.”

“Secondly, that body is supposed to give monthly subvention to Ohanaeze. I’m not sure his state ever gave subvention to Ohanaeze in the last two years, so also the other governors of the Igbo states.”

“So, Ohanaeze did not have the muscle and empowerment to do what they were supposed to do. But I know because I invited Ohanaeze to the Greater Nigeria conference in Abuja.”

“They were led by former president-general, (Gary) Enwo-Igariwey, and other important leaders; like the National Secretary of Ohanaeze, Chief S.N Okeke, Prof (Maurice) Iwu and so on.”

“They were about six in that delegation that were sent by the President General to represent Ohanaeze. The Pan-Niger Delta Forum was there live, represented by Edwin Clark.”

“Afenifere leader, 97-year-old Pa Ayo Adebanjo flew in from Lagos. The leader of the Middle Belt Forum gave the keynote address and all these people came because I told them that Ohanaeze was part of what we were doing and they came.”

“Umahi himself was there at the conference. In fact, most of the jingles and the television adverts he used for his campaign after that conference were taken from what happened on that day.”

“So, I don’t think blaming Ohanaeze is the best. First of all, they didn’t give Ohanaeze the empowerment, and I tried very hard, as hard as I could, with my colleagues to get Ohanaeze to champion what we did but when we saw their incapacitation as a result of the political leadership, and by that, I mean the governors of the South-East not having a consensus to fight for the South-East, it was difficult for Ohanaeze to operate.”

“We now have to take the lead and continue to reassure everybody that whatever we are doing was well canvassed with the Ohanaeze leadership and Imeobi of Ohanaeze. What we did was to save the face of Ohanaeze as much as we could and the leadership supported us throughout.”

– Source: Punchng