Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has adjusted the itinerary of his ongoing campaign in the State to accommodate the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari.
President Buhari is billed to visit Ebonyi State on January 30 for the scheduled All Progressives Congress state rally and campaign.
Addressing a mammoth crowd of the Peoples Democratic Party supporter at Ugbodo, the headquarters of Ebonyi Local Government Area, during his campaign tour of the area on Friday, Umahi said the move was in demonstration of the existing friendship between him, the State and the President.
He further appealed to his party members for permission to lend few crowd of PDP faithful to the APC to boost their already depleted numerical strength in welcoming the President.
He noted that it would not be good for the integrity of the State if there were not enough people to welcome the President during the visit.
According to Umahi, PDP campaigns would run as scheduled between Saturday and Tuesday next week, while Wednesday would be devolved to the zones to honour the visit of President Buhari.
Umahi, therefore, directed all PDP aspirants and stakeholders to hold campaigns in their various zones and areas of jurisdiction on Wednesday in order to allow the President the use of the Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium for his activity, adding that the few APC members were still “our brothers and sisters”.
Umahi explained: “And on Wednesday, Mr. President is coming to Ebonyi State
“We shall accord him all the necessary courtesy as the president of the country and he is our friend
“And so we will honour him by holding our rallies in the three zones while we allow him and his supporters the use of the stadium.
“The remnants of the ‘house of Saul’ in the State are not up to 1,000 and I will never allow shame to come upon our visitors.
“I am going to lend them some people just to make sure that there are people at the stadium.
“I’m going to beg you, the people you will see there are going to be PDP members but they will not be up to 2,000 because we must welcome the President.
“We will not allow the President to visit without allowing our people to welcome him.
“But go about your campaigns in the three zones.
“I will identify those who will go to welcome him.”
While appreciating the people of Ebonyi Local Government for their support, he promised to flag-off additional roads in the area as well as commence the Ebia-Abofia Bridge on Monday.
Commending the Governor for all the benefit given to the people of the area, including the construction of the important Nwiboko Obodo road, the State PDP Chairman, Onyekachi Nwebonyi; and National and State Assembly members among others in their separate goodwill messages acknowledged that Umahi has no rival in his return bid as the governor of the State.
Former Minister of State for Power and Steel and Director-General of Divine Mandate Campaign Organisation, Engr. Fidelis Nwankwo, added that the unprecedented crowd seen everywhere in their campaigns across the State were signs of general acceptance of the governor.
The Deputy Governor, Kelechi Igwe in a special remark, said the opposition candidates in the State were no match for PDP and urged the people to be alert against masqueraders.