JUST IN: Buhari Reacts To Umahi’s Defection To APC, Says ‘I Know People Will Call Him Names’

President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed the defection of Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Buhari said he commended Umahi for, “taking this courageous decision in a country where principles are in short supply.”

The Ebonyi State Governor had said that his decision to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was because the South East geopolitical zone had suffered “injustice” at the hands of his erstwhile party.

Buhari, in a statement by his senior special assistant, Garba Shehu, said he was proud of Umahi for making the move, “purely by principle rather than opportunistic motives.”

Shehu quoted the president as saying, “I am proud of Governor David Umahi for taking this bold decision in accordance with his conscience and principles rather than any external influence or coercion.

“Good governance is very important to us in the APC, and I’m glad that the governor has cited this as a major factor in his decision to join us. I urge our citizens to pay less emphasis on identity politics if we want our democracy to make a positive impact on our country.”

Buhari noted that “with men like Umahi, I foresee a brighter future for our democracy because the voters will be more motivated by performance records of parties and their candidates.

“Let me once again; commend the boldness of Governor Umahi for taking this courageous decision in a country where principles are in short supply among many. I know people might call him names, but that is the price men of principles have to pay for acting according to their conscience and convictions” said the president.

But in his reaction to Umahi’s defection on Wednesday, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, accused his Ebonyi counterpart of having a presidential ambition.

“My friend, Umahi wants to be president. There is no problem about that. You have a right to be president. Nobody can stop you. You are educated. You have been a governor for two terms, so you are qualified to say I want to be president of Nigeria.

“My reaction to Governor Umahi’s defection is not that he has no right to defect, but to say he is defecting because of injustice meted to the South-East that is insulting to the South-East,” Wike said in a statement by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri.