As preparations for the 2023 general elections intensify, an Ebonyi diaspora group, the Association of Ebonyi Indigenes Socio-Cultural in Diaspora (AEISCID), has admonished Ebonyi’s founding fathers never to allow themselves to be used as willing political tools by the Governor of the State, Engr. David Umahi.
Umahi, while addressing a gathering of founding fathers of the state and other elders at the weekend, insisted on the rotation of the governorship position in the state to the northern part of the state.
The governor reportedly said, “I expect you all to be vocal about equity, fairness, and justice for the peace of the state. What is just is for the North to start the second circle, after the North, the central, and then the South.
“So, I charge you to begin to draw the charter of equity now. People will say that it is a charter of equity written in the heart, but we are alive, and I will support you in upholding that. I have demonstrated equity, fairness, and justice to the task; leverage on that, and be vocal about it. I do not want the south or central to make the mistake that will hunt them tomorrow.”
But responding to the development through a statement on Monday in Abuja, AEISCID’s president, Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu, however, reiterated its earlier position that Ebonyians should support and vote for eminently qualified, competent and capable individuals who have the proven capacity to turn around the fortunes of Ebonyi state.
The socio-cultural organisation said its major aim is to see a better democratically governed Ebonyi state that they in the diaspora can be proud of.
Oluchukwu said: “For us, Governor Umahi’s equity call when he has already given a burial ground endorsement to the Speaker of the State’s House of Assembly is rather anchored in selfishness and greed and in fact, his desperation to continue to control the affairs of our dear state from behind the scenes.
“As a matter of fact, the endorsement of the Speaker and his running mate- another grossly incompetent, unknown ‘female friend’ of the Governor, should they eventually make it to the ballot should be seen very glaringly for what it is: A third-term agenda by the Emperor Umahi dynasty!
“We feel and rightly too that the governor is only deeply angered by the overwhelming unpopularity of his choice of candidate and is therefore looking for a means to sell and push his evil agenda through our elders and founding fathers, some of whom have been severely subjugated and are also not very well informed on the happenstances in the present misgovernance that Umahi has brought upon our dear state, which has left key critical sectors like education, health care and even Agriculture in ruins.
“Otherwise, were they not the same founding fathers he, (Umahi) snubbed upon ascension to power in 2015- insisting he does not need their advice to govern Ebonyi? Why market his unsellable and unpopular gubernatorial candidate through the same elders and leaders now?
“Or is Nwifuru not the same stooge who, as the head of the Legislative arm of government, has been approving loans, memos and requests without any form of debate just to please the Governor whom he considers and calls his boss? That Ebonyi’s debt profile has soared under the present human-less Umahi administration, which mainly finds concrete mixing as development, is now audible to the deaf and visible to the blind.
“For all, we know and have read in various media platforms about the said Nwifuru in the past seven years- his alleged disposition to political thuggery and violence, including his poor academic credentials – we as global citizens will never admonish Ebonyi people to support and vote such a character into a position as exalted as the office of a Governor of Ebonyi State.”
The statement cautioned the founding fathers, leaders, elders and traditional rulers of Ebonyi state to be wary of any political product Governor Umahi might be hiding behind them to smuggle into power in 2023.
“The youths and the younger generations won’t forgive them if they avail themselves to be used by the outgoing governor who is now drowning and looking for any straw to hold on to.
“Of course, we are glad that Umahi did express a little bit of his frustration and anger over his lost APC Presidential bid. He even opened up that he is yet recovering from the pains of the Presidential election defeat. It is therefore wisdom for them and indeed, all lovers of our dear State to distance from his counsel while allowing him to lick his wounds.
“We encourage and challenge the Ebonyi electorates to make history by supporting and electing into office in 2023 elections not on emotional or zoning sentiments but on competence, capacity and credibility. Those who we would wish to see occupy elective offices in 2023 must be people with known antecedents and proven capacity to deliver good governance in Ebonyi State.
“Very good a thing that the tremendous improvements in the electoral system have made it uneasy for elections to be rigged or for brazen manipulations to take place. We encourage Ebonyians to leverage on this to elect competent and credible leaders with proven and verifiable credentials in 2023.”
