Felix Uka, Abakaliki
Ebonyi state government has debunked recent statement where Governor
David Umahi was quoted to have said he is a member of both the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Hon. Uchenna
Orji who addressed journalists on the issue yesterday, described the
claim as unreasonable, adding that the governor was misrepresented.
He said that a person can only be a member of one political party at a time.
He said: “The state government has noted the notorious online
circulations and antics of a syndicate who are in the habit of
spreading falsehood against the government of Ebonyi State.
“In their desperate attempt to cause disaffection against the State
Government, they mischievously misrepresented the Governor as saying:
‘I am the only Governor that belongs to PDP and APC.
“This blackmail is nothing but a cheap and chidish fabrication that
is irritably displeasing to the sensibilities of the ordinary man.
“It is a common sense that no one party member in Nigeria can belong
to another political party at a time.
“The Governor never said that he belongs to APC. He is unshakably a
PDP Chieftain and has been a great party man, whose trackrecords as
historic State Party Chairman and currently PDP Governor and leader
in Ebonyi State are known and admired by people of good will.
“So his presence is everywhere, because both PDP and APC know what he
is doing in Ebonyi state and everybody loves him for that. And we
don’t need to tell you again that after party politics the governor
goes into administration.
“All those who are taking advantage of partisan politics to go and
smear the name of the governor of Ebonyi state, the governor is saying
that before you even go there, the spirit of God will go there to say
that he didn’t do it, that is just it.
“The Governor only said in the course of his speech that those who are
in the habit of hiding under partisan politics to peddle lies against
the State Government were on a frolic of their own as people of
different political colorations including APC know the virtues of his
administration
“It must be noted that the Governor’s style of governance is that of
inclusive politics where partisan politics comes and goes but National
interest and patriotism are the indispensable principles of his
administration.
“The essence of this disclaimer is to put the records straight for the
information and right knowledge of the members of the public
“What the governor said was clear and that is the essence of this
briefing, and to also say that we are not ignorant of the machinations
of some of these elements who think they can glory in blackmail, but
we are not distracted.
Also, the Commissioner reacted to recent online publication where
Ebonyi was included as one of the states that didn’t pass it’s
appropriation bill into law in 2019.
Orji pointed out that the appropriation bill which was presented to
the House of Assemby on December 13, 2019 was passed into law by
Ebonyi state House of Assembly on Thursday December 19, 2019 while it
was assented to by the governor on Friday 20th December 2019 by 12 pm
in the State Executive Council Chambers.
He therefore advised members of the public to disregard and
discountenance the content of the report of the said media as
irresponsible, without foundation and mischievously concocted to
mislead and misinform the unsuspecting members of the public.
He demanding for a written apology from the operators of media who
published the said reports.
