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Zoning: PDP Governors dismiss Umahi’s challenge as mark of frustration 

By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja
19 September 2021   |   3:05 am
Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have dismissed the challenge posed by Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, on the matter of zoning of political offices

Umahi

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have dismissed the challenge posed by Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, on the matter of zoning of political offices as baseless and off the point.

They said Umahi was frustrated over the ‘misrule’ of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled Federal Government, which they believe has forced Nigerians into serious socio-economic and political pains.

Umahi had on Friday mocked governors of the PDP in the Southern Governors’ Forum, who joined in adopting the resolution for power shift to the South, and declared that the body language of those governors showed the PDP won’t zone the Presidency to the South.

The Southern governors, led by Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, had in a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting in Enugu State on Thursday insisted on power shift to the South.

Umahi, who spoke on a television programme, alleged that the PDP governors at the meeting in Enugu were being dishonest with their claim that they are keen about the 2023 presidency going to the South.

He said: “One or two governors that own PDP, their body language suggests they are against zoning and I can tell you from a reliable source that they are thinking just for their own interest.

“The truth remains that a number of us – the Southern Governors – that were in that meeting; that did say that Presidency must come to South, especially PDP, are not being honest. Let’s see what they (PDP) come up with in their zoning in the next few weeks.

“There are a couple of decisions taken at the Southern Governors’ meeting that I know there is the sincerity of purpose in them. But when it comes to politics, I see the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob,” Umahi stated.

But in a swift response yesterday, the PDP Governors, in a statement by the Director-General of the PDP Governors Forum, CID Maduagbon, accused Umahi of turning truth on its head.

“On the issue of zoning, we advise Governor Umahi to face his frustrations in APC and not drag PDP and her Governors into it. PDP is an independent political party with workable structures and methods of doing things. It’s not an appendage of the APC or indeed any other association or group,” the PDP Governors said.

According to the statement, “PDP will take its decision on the issue of zoning political offices at the appropriate time. Even the APC has not taken any decision yet on zoning. Different groups and interests are advancing arguments to defend their positions as is required in a democracy. At the end of the day, decisions will be taken by each political party.”

They maintained that the PDP is single-minded in its resolve to boot out the APC in 2023 and would craft strategies to achieve the same in the national interest, as APC currently represents an existential threat to Nigeria’s democracy and survival.

The PDP governors also claimed that Governor Umahi left PDP for APC, “irrespective of the maladministration and daily incidents of destruction of lives and properties currently going on in Ebonyi State and the entire country under the watch of APC.

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