By Gabriel Atumeyi and Kenneth Onuoh
The Ebonyi State caucus of the National Assembly has distanced itself from the defection of the state governor, Dave Umahi, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), while expressing resolve of its members to remain in the PDP.
This is just as the headquarters of the party in the state has been taken over by the Police, with movement in and out of the secretariat restricted.
This is coming barely 24 hours after PDP National Working Committee dissolved and constituted a new state caretaker committee to pilot the affairs of party.
When 365DAILY visited the party secretariat around 12noon, security had been beefed up within the premises to forestall any breakdown of law and order. The police presence is related to a power tussle between two claimants to the office; Elder Fred Udeogu and Barr. Onyekachi Nwebonyi.
Both were unreachable at the time of filing the report.
The police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP, Loveth Odah, did not respond to calls put across to her by our correspondent.
In a related development, the Ebonyi PDP National Assembly caucus has affirmed its commitment to the party, saying its members will not be joining the governor on his voyage to the APC.
The press conference held on Wednesday, with the five House of Representatives members and three senators of the caucus in attendance.
Reading the resolution on behalf of other members, Senator Sam Egwu, a former governor of the state, said they remained proud card-carrying members of the PDP, the platform on which they were elected.
He said while they support that it was the turn of the South-East to produce the next president, they considered it unwise to give ultimatum and conditionality to the party.
They further stated that Umahi is one person who should be grateful to the PDP because the party gave him opportunities to serve in different capacities.
365Daily recalls that Umahi, while announcing his defection on Tuesday, said it was due to the “injustice” meted out to the South-east by the PDP and added that he had no regrets.
He also said he had no deal with the APC or any member of the party with regards to the zoning of the presidential position to the region.
But Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, said the cross-carpeting was because of Umahi’s ambition to be the APC’s presidential candidate in 2023.
This is even as he accused him of being unfair to the PDP which gave him the governorship ticket in 2015 and again in 2019.
”My friend, Umahi, wants to be president. There is no problem about that,” Mr Wike said.
“You have a right to be president. Nobody can stop you. You are educated. You have been a governor for two terms, so you are qualified to say I want to be president of Nigeria,” he added.
With his defection, Umahi becomes the second APC governor in the region after Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma, who was controversially declared governor by the Supreme Court.