Chief Elias Mbam, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi, has urged Governor Dave Umahi to move ahead with his plans to defect to the APC.
Mbam, also Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), said this while speaking with newsmen on Monday in Abakaliki.
He was reacting to a meeting held between the governor and some APC stakeholders on Sunday, in Uburu, in Ohaozara Local Government Area (LGA) of the state preparatory to his defection to the party.
Mbam said that the decision was a welcome development saying that the state, as well as the South East would benefit from the defection.
He said that the South East had nothing to show for its numerous support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since the return to civil rule in 1999.
Mbam said that the APC-led Federal Government has shown commitment towards developing infrastructure in the South-East, adding that it was time politicians in the zone moved to APC en-masse.
“The major stakeholders in our party met with the governor and he told us why he wanted to leave his party for the APC; part of the reasons was the need for South East to be part of the government at the centre.
“He stressed the need for the zone to collaborate with the North and that if we do that; we will be able to get what we have not been able to get since 1999.
“Since 1999, PDP has been in control in Ebonyi and other states in South East, yet the party has not found one person worthy of flying its flag and we don’t even have any hope that it would happen soon,” Mbam said.
He said that the APC led federal government does bot accord much recognition to the South East, hence the need for the zone to join the ruling party in order to become relevant to the government.
He said that Ebonyi needed to join the ruling party in order to be present where major decisions were being taken.
“We want to lead a campaign where the South East will become more relevant at the centre; Umahi’s move is a commendable decision, it’s good for our state and Igbo people.
”The best way to be represented in a meeting is to be present where major decisions are taken and if Ebonyi is not present at the centre, certainly it will affect what we get from there,” he said.
The RMAFC chairman said that Umahi’s defection to APC would further strengthen the unity of the party in the state and reposition it towards capturing the governors seat in 2023.