Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has urged the newly inaugurated state Caretaker Committee of the All Peoples Congress to “take-on” individuals who distract his administration on the social media.
Umahi gave the charge during the inauguration of the 15-member committee at the party’s stakeholders meeting in Abakakiki.
The governor specifically lauded the tenacity of the committee’s youth leader and the publicity secretary, noting that he needed to concentrate for the delivery of democratic dividends to the people.
“It is important that the 15 of you take on the social media and those who distract us.
“My mind, soul and spirit are in my state and the projects I am executing, as nothing else, appeals to me than the completion of the projects.
“Take-on people who distract us while I take-on the projects.
“Funds will be sourced from private and not government sources to run the secretariat and pay your salaries,” he said.
Umahi commended his predecessor, Chief Martin Elechi, for attending the meeting, noting that he was grateful to God for the opportunity of correcting past mistakes.
“Party differences brought so much bitterness and enmity among our people and made us lose so much that should have been got at the federal level.
“We presently have a united Ebonyi and in this next level movement, everybody must be given equal opportunity to aspire for any position,” he said.
He said that registration committees would be formed at the ward and council levels and announced that the party’s headquarters directed the nomination of 30 persons into federal boards.
“We are going to allow every local government nominate two people and ensure a minimum of 40 per cent women representation as instructed by the party’s national headquarters.
“Two nominations per local government area will amount to 26 remaining four slots, and I will allow former Governor Elechi and the Minister for Science and Technology to nominate,” he said.
Chief Martin Elechi, the immediate past governor of the state, commended the governor for doing “things better presently” and condemned the non-adherence to party constitutions by politicians in the country.
“I left the Peoples Democratic Party after handing over in 2015 for the APC but the situation was still the same there, especially in the primaries for the 2019 elections,” he said.
Mr Stanley Okoro-Emegha, the party’s state Caretaker Chairman, commended members for attending the meeting in spite of its short notice, noting that the state belonged to the party.
The party’s stakeholders, including those residing outside the state made presentations on how it can achieve its goals and become more united.