Sequel to his claims that he facilitated the defection of Governors Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) and Ben Ayade (Cross River) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling party, former minister, Femi Fani-Kayode appears to have beaten more than he can chew.
“I think he needs to withdraw that statement, he’s my good friend but, it was an insult on my person and the other governors,” Governor Umahi said on a monitored Channels Television programme on Thursday.
“The man did not know when I moved, but incidentally he visited me and we discussed, and he said he was coming to join me with the other governors to declare.
“How will somebody in the PDP be instrumental to my moving?,” Umahi asked.
“A whole Governor of the state and then, not even a small governor, an experienced Governor.
“So, he has to withdraw the statement, he was never part of any discussion of my movement”.
Governor Umahi defected to the APC in November 2020.
The governor explained that one of the reasons was to move the southeast to the center of administration.
“I moved to close the gap between the center and the southeast, which our forefathers fought for, like Nnamdi Azikwe.
“So, for somebody to come and say that a whole chairman of the southeast governor’s forum, he was instrumental to that, it’s a bitter insult to my person and with all due respect, he has to withdraw the statement.
“He remains my friend and a good one for that matter, but he played no role in my movement and I’m sure he didn’t play no role in the movement of the rest of us,” Governor Umahi stressed.
The comments come on the same day that Fani-Kayode officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
The former PDP chieftain was introduced to President Muhammadu Buhari as the newest member of the ruling party during a visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He was led to the meeting with the President by the APC National Caretaker Committee Chairman and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, as well as Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State.
