Obi is competent to be VP but… – Umahi

Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi on Tuesday said that he was
not against the choice of former Governor, Peter Obi as the running
mate to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP Presidential candidate,
Atiku Abubakar.

Umahi stated this in an interview with journalists in Abakaliki,
the state capital.

The governor has faced backlash since he led leaders of the
party to complain against the selection process that threw up Obi
as Vice Presidential candidate of the party with many people
accusing him of sabotaging the interest of the Igbo nation.

But, Umahi while clearing the air, said he was only against the
process and not Obi who he noted was very competent for the
job.

He, however questioned how people from other regions will meet
and take decisions that concerns me south east with the input of a
single person from the region.

“We have never said that we are against Peter Obi but what we
have said is that if six people can come together from five other
regions and look at recommendations for the south east and no south
east person is there, that is not good for us.

“We have never said that Obi is not good for us, we have nothing
against Obi but we want when decisions that concern us are being
taken, we want to be part of that decision’, Umahi said.

The governor also expressed displeasure on the imbalance in the
initial five man shortlist for the VP candidacy which had no person
from Imo and Ebonyi State on it.

“Number two, the five names submitted, of course no governors in
south east wants to be Vice President; everybody wants to finish
his tenure. The Five names for VP should have been five names from
the five south east states but there was no name from Ebonyi and
Imo states”

“I am a fighter of marginalization of Ebonyi people. If we are
going to vote, we must be treated with equity. These are the
issues; two names came from Anambra, one from Enugu and two from
Abia. So, what is wrong in having someone from Ebonyi and then one
from Imo?

These are the issues but there are not as terrible as is being
looked at. I know that my people put me on social media saying so
many terrible things about me but it doesn’t move me”

“We must sit down with the presidential candidate and say look
if we work together, we must be part of the decision making . I am
not talking about myself, I am talking about the leadership of the
south east”.

“If six people can come from other regions to take decision and
there is nobody from south east and our people think is right, so
be it”.

The Governor, who said he has a good relationship with Mr Obi
said he has no regrets on his actions in the aftermath of Obi
selection.

“Nobody is against Obi. The leaders of Ndigbo are saying that
when decisions are taken and you invite people from other regions,
invite people from south east. They never issued any statement and
anybody from south east that is saying that my stand is not good,
is not a human being because tomorrow is bigger than today”.

“If Atiku had just announced his running mate without other
people from other regions seeing the list and making inputs or
choices , we wouldn’t have been bothered because nobody chooses a
VP for anybody; it is like a wife. But if other people were there,
at least one person from south east should have been there.
Secondly, Ebonyi state shouldn’t have been neglected even if we
will not make the list because the choice is for the man”

“You remember that one of the reasons that Ebonyi man is not too
comfortable with the issue of region is that we are afraid of
further marginalization. So, these are the issues. Obi is my
friend. You would have seen our pictures on the social media. Yes,
he is my good friend and we have worked together very very well and
he said something to me ‘if I were you, I will be more bitter, I
will make greater noise than you are making’.

“Obi understands. And let me give you one shocking news! I was
told in the course of our meeting in Enugu that somebody asked
Chekwas Okorie why is it that Igbo don’t vote for their Vice
Presidential candidates and Chekwas told him that anyday the Igbo
man chooses his Vice Presidential candidate, the Igbo man will vote
for the Vice presidential candidate and if you check be it Ekwueme
or any other, you will find out that we have never voted along that
line”.

“And I am very sure that in further decisions, the Igbo man must
be called, that is just what we are saying. Nobody is against Obi
and he is very competent to be VP but I alone cannot endorse Obi.
So when my Chief Press Secretary issued a congratulatory message,
the Leaders started calling me saying so you alone have made the
VP. So I had to issue another statement to say look, I was not
consulted. If that is my sin, I cannot repent”,he concluded.