The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State has commended the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, for resisting pressures to engage in a rift with his successor, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that insinuations were rife in the state that the acclaimed “father and son” were at loggerheads.
This was said to have been over the control of the state’s party structure.
The Chairman of the APC in Ebonyi State, Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha, however told NAN on Friday that it was in the state’s interest that there was no Umahi-Nwifuru rift.
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Okoro-Emegha said: “Umahi as a leader has made his marks in Ebonyi and Nigeria, realising in the process that there is time for everything.
“There is a time to reign, step aside and stand as a father.
“A good dancer dances with wisdom, leaves the stage when the ovation is loudest and refuses to yield to pressure to remain on stage.”
Okoro-Emegha said that Umahi’s debunking of the insinuations of conflict portrayed him as a patriot who did not want Ebonyi State to undergo the political upheavals witnessed in some states.
He added: “He admitted to have been put under from within to tell the governor certain things, but he never did so.
“His declaration of leaving the governor to decide the party’s affairs is a welcome development as the governor is the party’s leader in the state.
“The governor knows what is good for the party and when he succeeds, the party succeeds.”
Okoro-Emegha urged party faithful to always ignore the antics of naysayers and be committed to its ideals for continuous success.
It would be recalled that Umahi while declaring open the commencement of work on the Ebonyi State section of 118.km trans-Saharan super highway said he never signed a one-term agreement with Nwifuru.
He said: “I fought battles to make Nwifuru governor without conditions and I will support him for eight years.
“I was in control of the state party structure for eight years as the governor and will therefore not interfere with Nwifuru’s leadership.
“People think I will return to struggle for power after leaving office, but I am not available for such distractions.”
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