My presidential ambition not dead – Umahi

By Egena Sunday Ode

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi has dismissed insinuations that his presidential ambition is dead, following a recent court judgement removing him as governor on account of his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

The embattled governor also said he is not losing sleep over the court judgment that sacked him from office because the law backs his continuous stay in office.

The governor who spoke to newsmen after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja Wednesday said consultations over his presidential ambition are ongoing.

Asked if his presidential bid was dead, the governor responded: “It could be just your imagination, because there is no such thing. You can see us in the various media houses you know social media. 

“You can see my supporters everywhere, you can see my consultation. I even consult those who are also aspirating. 

“And that shows you how committed I am to this course and I think it’s God’s project. So there is no such thing. Whatever is God’s project no such consideration will come to such project.”

The governor also expressed worry over the inconsistency of the judiciary on whether votes belong to a candidate or party.

Umahi challenged Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to a public debate over their performances in office.

The duo have been throwing brick bats following the court judgement declaring Umahi’s party switch as illegal.

According to him” do I look worried? You see, God has plans for everything. And I think that God allowed one court to give judgment that I go nowhere, allowed another court to say, because we defected, and the votes belong to the party.

“And I’m very worried because the highest court has said that votes belong to the candidates. And that’s why even though APC won the election in Bayelsa State, the deputy governor’s credentials were defective. 

“And even a day to day swearing-in, the Supreme Court ruled this qualifying the candidate of APC that won the election because of his deputy. 

“And so if votes inputs belonged to the party, it would have been that the Supreme Court in their wisdom would have just asked for the man that won an election for the party to bring the substitutes to do that.

“So I’m not worried. Because in the first place, there is no constitutional provision that says that the governor can be sued in the first place, so I’m not sue-able. You know, but a court judgment is a court judgment I’m not interpretingit but the Constitution, we swore to uphold, I can speak to the Constitution.

“And the Constitution says that you will, once you’re elected, you enjoy immunity, as Supreme Court says votes, cast in an election belong to the candidates. And that’s why you have qualifications of a candidate and no qualifications of a political party. So I’m not worried.

“But you are,  God allowed it so that where I couldn’t  reach in terms of my consultation, this situation has made it possible for me to reach those places. And to truly see that Nigerians, they love me and they want me and that is the reason for that.

“And I want to thank the PDP and even the man that boosted that he did that hatchet job. If the people that crucify Christ knew that it will bring salvation to the whole world, they wouldn’t have done that. 

“So the hatchet man that boasted is liken to Judas Iscariot. And so I have no worry because the Constitution is clear. I have confidence in the judiciary and so you can see i have added some weight in these few days and looking more handsome.

Asked if he had issues with some PDP governors before leaving the party, he said “Probably the difference between us will be our faith. I serve the living God and probably a lot of alcohol. I don’t drink. So that is the differences between us otherwise he remains my friend  and my brother and I have nothing against him.