Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi on Friday knocked former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode over his comment alleging that he (Fani-Kayode) played a part in the governor’s defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The former minister had claimed during the ceremony to formerly welcome him to APC at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, that he was instrumental to the defection of Governor Umahi, Ben Agade of Cross River and Bello Mohammed Matawalle of Zamfara states respectively from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to APC.
He said, “There are many people. If you ask my friend and brother, Governor Matawalle here, there are many people within the PDP, who do want to come over to the APC. I can tell you that. I was there and very instrumental when Governor Umahi joined the APC.
“I was there and very instrumental when Governor Ayade did the same thing. I was there and very instrumental when my friend and brother governor of Zamfara, Governor Matawale did the same thing.”
However, speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, Umahi faulted Fani-Kayode for the comment, which he described as false and an insult “to my person and the other governors.”
“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.”
