No blackmail, pressure will make me fight with Gov Nwifuru – Umahi
The Minister of Works, Chief David Umahi, has said that no amount of blackmail and pressure will make him fight with Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State.
He said that Ebonyi State has been peaceful since Nwifuru assumed office in 2023, saying nobody will cajole him into crisis in the state.
Umahi, who spoke at the flag-off of the 118.85-kilometer superhighway project at Afikpo in Ebonyi State, said that peace is paramount to the development of any state.
“Some hungry persons have been trying to cause a crisis in this state. But I am not available. I have been badly used in the past, but not anymore. I am not available again.
“I was Governor for 8 years in this state, and I controlled all the structures without interference from any quarter. Yet, some people think that after leaving office, I will come back to contest the structures with my successor.
” I can’t do that. I am too busy for that. The Governor is the leader of the party in the State, and his words are final as far as party structure is concerned.
“When you will be conducting your congresses and conventions, I will be in Dubai; you won’t see me here.”
The former governor also debunked another trending falsehood, namely that Governor Francis Nwifuru had signed an agreement with the party to serve just one term in office. He said such insinuation only exists in the imagination of the purveyors.
“There is no such agreement anywhere. I supported him in becoming governor without any condition. His 8 years is sacrosanct. That is already taken for granted. Now, we are even looking beyond the next 6 years, as there is no opposition in Ebonyi.
“As David, I fought wars for 8 years. But he is very lucky. No opposition anywhere under him. Those who could have opposed him have all joined us. So he is the luckiest Governor Ebonyi has produced”
He commended the Governor for uniting the state and urged him to ignore his critics and focus on his developmental strides.
He argued that those criticising him now would later praise him when he leaves office.
“When I was Governor, they were shouting hunger, hunger everywhere. They said I was doing nothing. But now, they say I was a good Governor. But they criticised me bitterly when I was in office.
“Governor Nwifuru is not anyhow Governor. You can’t get him angry with social media posts unlike me. He will complete 8 years because there is no opposition party in Ebonyi State. Nwifuru has united everyone into APC. Come 2027, Ebonyi people will vote massively for Nwifuru and Tinubu.”
“So I urged you to remain focused, and continue to work for the state. You have my support and the support of the good people of Ebonyi State,” Umahi said.
Vanguard News
