By James Orji
The last has not been heard of the jaw-dropping defection of Femi Fani-Kayode to the APC, as Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state has described him a liar for claiming that he was instrumental to the governor’s defection to the ruling party.
Umahi had left the PDP, last year to join the APC citing the need to support President Muhammadu Buhari to galvanized unity on the country. He also cited inequality in PDP as one of the reasons for his defection, noting that the party had not treated the south East zone well, when it comes to the Presidency. Umahi is rumoured to be interested in the nation’s number one seat.
Fani-Kayode Kayode, on his part also joined the APC on Wednesday after he was presented to the president in Aso Rock by APC Interim Chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni and the Governor of Zamfara state, Bello Matawalle. The former minister of Aviation had earlier boasted that he would prefer to die than join APC.
But after meeting the president yesterday, Fani-Kayode boasted that he was instrumental to the defection of three PDP Governors to the APC.
The former PDP Governors who are now with the ruling party are Umahi, Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers state and Governor Matawalle.
Speaking on the issue on Channels Television, Governor Umahi denied being influenced by the former minister to dump PDP.
Rebutting the former minister Umahi said: “I think he needs to withdraw that statement, he’s my good friend but it was an insult to my person and the other governors,” he said.
“The man did not know when I moved but he incidentally visited me and he said he’s coming to join me with the other governors to declare. How would someone in the PDP be instrumental in my moving. A whole governor of a state, not even a small governor, an experienced one.
“He has to withdraw his statement. He was never part of any discussion of my movement. I moved south-east to the centre of administration. I moved to close the gap between the centre and south-east, which our forefathers like Nnamdi Azikwe fought for.
“For somebody to say that he’s instrumental to the movement of a whole chairman of south-east governors forum is a bit of an insult to my person. And with all due respect, he has to withdraw that statement.
“He remains my friend, a good one for that matter but he played no role in my movement and I’m sure he played no role in the movement of the rest of the governors.”
Meanwhile, many Nigerians are still in shock over Fani-Kayode’s defection to APC, the party he had verified so much in the past.
