Recently, report alleging the regrouping of Abuja based politicians from Ebonyi state in order to usurp power from Ebonyi state Governor, Engr. David Umahi in 2023 dominated the news wave.
Although some of the national assembly members have come up with their own reactions on the matter, but political analysts have revealed that while there may not be a defined group as ‘Abuja group’as the case during Dr Sam Egwu’s administration, Governor Umahi’s successor may not be a consensus candidate, especially on the part of the Abuja representatives.
Analysts believed that the governor would have a problem installing his preferred candidate since some of the national assembly members not just have interest in Gov. Umahi’s job, but are keenly ready to wrestle power with whomever he may choose as a successor.
They maintained that even when some of them especially the two term serving members may act like they are not interested in becoming the next governor of Ebonyi state, that plans are already on the way to fight the governorship battle with full force in 2023. In fact it was even gathered that some of them are saving heavily for that battle.
They argued that among the national assembly members, there is a group of persons that have formed serious bond and as such, have become very strong force to contend with.
“And when they come together to plan, nothing stops them from achieving success. This group has proved inseparable within the past five years they have been in the national assembly and the governor may fallout with them in the course of choosing his successor. And when that happens they may come together to fight back”, according to one of the analysts.
However, even when some of the national assembly members are having governorship ambition which is not bad, they may think it is too early for them to make it public.
Meanwhile, reacting to alleged report of resurgence of Abuja group, the Senator representing Ebonyi Central zone, Senator Obinna Ogba, described it as as a total blackmail and an attempt to cause trouble and disaffection in the state by sowing the seeds of bitterness, anger, distrust, and hatred. While calling on the people of the state to disregard the media report and go about their normal business.
Ogba was fingered in the report as the leader of the new Abuja group, who with alleged efforts of some Abuja politicians, mostly, National Assembly members of PDP extraction and some All Progressives Congress stalwarts from the state to “thwart and outsmart governor Umahi from choosing his preferred successor as governor of Ebonyi state in 2023.”
“The so called Abuja group only exists in the writer’s imagination and that of his sponsors. It is pertinent to state that if there is any Abuja group or would be, I am not aware and can not be a party to such distraction.
“This is surely the handiwork of the opposition who were recently defeated at the polls. The target is to distract the party and government in the state by sowing seeds of discord.
“The Ebonyi PDP as a family has come a long way since 1998 and has worked very hard to maintain the number one position in the politics of the state, and we cannot allow any passenger to come in between us”.
“Our governor Engr. David Umahi is a team player who has carried major stakeholders along. We are proud of him and we have overwhelming confidence in him as our leader.
“Let me use this medium to warn such fourth columnists that some of us are very old in this game of politics. This tactic is too elementary that we could have ignored it but for record purposes.
“I want to assure members of our great party that i am solidly behind the performing governor of the State, Engr. David Umahi and I am determined to give him the necessary support to make his second term another huge success.”
“For emphasis may I state without equivocation that there is no Abuja group in Ebonyi state and i can never encourage such as it would disrupt the smooth run of the state”.
“Let me put the record straight, there was no meeting of either the so called Abuja group or any such group working against the interest of Governor David Umahi be it in ‘Bisalla road’ Abuja or Enugu as the confused writer claimed”.
“It is a known fact that i am a foundation member of the PDP and has remain so, i would not for any reason hold meeting with some persons mentioned in the purported report as they are members of the APC whom I cannot discuss politics with. I have nothing with them and so far they remain in APC, I would not have anything with them”.
“It is on record that I have never left the PDP even for one day. I was a founding member of the party and former party chairman, I am too big to play anti party behind the scene”.
On his part, member representing Ikwo-Ezza South federal constituency, Hon Laz Ogbee, said that he has the privilege of having access to the governor of which he could not be part of plot to bite him from the back, noting that his philosophy and believe in life is that it is only God that gives power.
He maintained that he was even with the governor when it wasn’t certain he was going to become the governor of Ebonyi state, and that Gov. Umahi has done so excellently in carrying them alone and as such, deserves his support.
Ogbee accused Comrade Chinedu Ogah of the All Progressives Congress, APC House of Representatives candidate for Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency of sponsoring the media report of resurgence of Abuja group in Ebonyi State.
He said that it has been revealed the said reporter whose identity has been unveiled was paid by Comrade Chinedu Ogah to put up the report to smear the existing good relationship between himself and the State Governor, Chief David Umahi.
The Two term House of Representatives member, noted that with his expected victory at the election petition tribunal ans the frustration and truama the defeated candidate of the APC has envisaged, he resorted to blackmail and tarnish the good image he has built with the State Governor adding that this latest act has shown his level of desperation.
Hon Ogbee stated that since his landslide victory at the polls and his subsequent inuguration at the National Assembly, “Comrade Ogah has deployed several antics to get victory at the tribunal through the back door and having failed in his gimmicks and propaganda, the latest was to sponsor media report against my person but I tell you, such antics is dead on arrival”.
He however, expressed confidence on the Tribunal stating that falsehood, manipulations and lies would never overcome truth and the wishes and aspirations of the people of Ezza South/Ikwo Federal constituency which they exhibited by voting him for a second term in the just concluded National Assembly election in the State.
“Having observed that all his efforts and gimmicks aimed at arm-twisting the tribunal members to achieve victory from the back door, and his frivolous petitions against the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC which was thrown to the dust bin, his latest antics now is to sponsor media report to smear the wonderful relationship that has long existed between myself and the Governor of the state”.
“I have always remain a committed ally and loyalist of Governor David Umahi. We have built confidence amongst us and I have never jettison out in any of his political ambition even in the days of Chief Martin Elechi. The desparation that Comrade Ogah is exhibiting today is an aftermath of his activities under the last administration where he treated everyone as a slave and later betrayed the man that built him”.
“We are not known for betraying our masters rather we are known for our loyalty to our principel. Comrade Ogah should look for another strategy to adopt because Governor David Umahi is too intelligent and smart to fall for such antics and gimmicks from a nobody and oppotunist”.
Hon Ogbee explained that his major concern is to give qualitative representation, attract meaningful projects, empower the people and give employment to the teeming youths of Ezza South/Ikwo Federal constituency who have been yearning for more of such opportunity from him.
He noted that no amount of propaganda and blackmail from Comrade Ogah would deter him from redressing the wrongs and advantage Ogah took against the people of the state by demanding 6 months of their salaries in exchange of an employment.
He stated that he supported Gov Umahi when it was uncertain that he would become Governor in 2015, adding that Gov Umahi has done so excellently that he deserves support and encouragement such that they would remain suppurative.
“This is surely the handiwork of the opposition who were recently defeated at the polls. The target is to distract the party and government in the state by sowing seeds of discord”.
“Let me use this medium to warn such fourth columnists that some of us are very old in this game of politics. This tactic is too elementary that we could have ignored it but for record purposes.
“I want to assure the good people of Ezza South/Ikwo Federal constituency that our victory has been for seen and our detractors are jittery, so there is need for all to remain calm and continue supporting our Governor to continue in his qualitative governance in the state”.
“For emphasis may I state without equivocation that there is no Abuja group in Ebonyi state and i can never encourage such as it would disrupt the smooth run of the state”.
“Let me put the record straight, there was no meeting of either the so called Abuja group or any such group working against the interest of Governor David Umahi be it in ‘Bisalla road’ Abuja or Enugu as the confused writer claimed”.
