Barely two years in office, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State has declared intention to seek re-election. Special Correspondent, CHIJIOKE AGWU, reports.
The race for Ebonyi State Government House in 2019 is gathering steam, with the declaration by Governor Dave Umahi for re-election. Even with what may be seen as jumping the gun for 2019 politics, not many were surprised at the move by the governor.
When Umahi assumed office as the governor in May last year, keen observers had predicted that, like his predecessors – Sam Egwu and Martin Elechi, he would seek re-election after his first term.
However, in December 2015, the governor dismissed insinuations in some quarters on his interest in a second term, stressing that he was more interested in finishing his current tenure on credible note rather than seeking another term.
Umahi, who spoke during a courtesy call on him by the leadership of the students of various tertiary institutions in the state, had then noted that the speculation of his second term ambition barely one year in office was unfair to him.He was responding to a statement by one of the student leaders who drew his attention to his electioneering promise to reduce fees in tertiary institutions in the state.
The speaker had reminded the governor of the implications of not keeping to his promise ahead his 2019 second term ambition.
But in response, Umahi had assured on keeping to his promise during the campaign, blaming the prevailing economic climate on the inability of his administration to redeem its pledge.
But on the issue of the students not supporting him in 2019 if he fails to fulfil his promise, Umahi said he was not interested in re-election but to deliver on his current mandate.
However, in April 2016, signs began to emerge of the governor’s interest in re-election.An indication to that was how his core loyalists and family members hijacked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure both at the zonal and state levels.
The development had pitted Umahi against some members of the National Assembly (NASS) like Senator Sunny Ogbuoji, Senator Obinna Ogba and Linus Abba Okorie as well as his erstwhile loyalist and Senior Special Adviser on Internal Security, Ali Odefa,among others, leading to the sack of appointees perceived to be loyal to the aggrieved politicians.
Although Umahi had since reinstated the affected staff and fences appear to have been mended, there are indications that some members of NASS like Okorie are yet to forgive the governor and appear to be plotting to make him unpopular as 2019 closes in.
For instance, just recently, a government appointee and Umahi’s kinsman was linked to the unfortunate battery and stripping of a minor, Uzoamaka. Cashing in on the development, Okorie, with the alleged connivance of some other NASS members, took the matter to what many see as uncomfortable heights.
Okorie had particularly insisted that Umahi should sack the embattled aide.
But reacting to the development, the governor dismissed Okorie and his supporters, describing them as ungrateful elements. He maintained that he would not sack the aide as recommended by them.
As if to dare his detractors, few weeks after, he declared his intention to re-contest and win in 2019.Umahi made the disclosure in Abakaliki, the state capital, while addressing the people of Izzi at the 2016 Ojiji Izzi New Yam Festival.
Umahi, who said his administration was committed to the construction of vital road networks across Izzi and the state in general, noted that efforts were on by his government to obtain a loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to finance the construction of the 199 kilometres of the ring roads in the state.
“Let me give you good news; the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved our request to borrow the sum of $70million from African Development Bank to construct 199 kilometres of the ring roads.
“In our first tenure, because we must do second tenure, the ring roads must be commenced and completed. In our second tenure, we will put street light in all the ring roads,” he remarked.
Saying those who would oppose his ambition are no longer in the state, Umahiassured his supporters that his re-election victory is assured come 2019.
Since the declaration, there have been reactions from his admirers and critics in and outside the state. A staff of the state’s ministry of information, who asked not to be mentioned, described the governor’s subtle declaration of interest for another term as perfidious. According to him, rather than giving the initial impression that he was satisfied with one term, Umahi should have kept his agenda to himself.
“They (politicians) are the same. They can hardly shoot their arrows straight. It has become certain that what Umahi was doing all the while was to test the waters. That was why it looked as if he was not interested for another term. But now, he seems to have got his bearing, hence his latter declaration of his interest,” he said.
But a PDP chieftain, Okorie Agbai, insisted that the governor has the constitutional right to go for a second term and should go for it, given his sterling performance. In his words, “it would have been unfair for the governor not to go for a second term. Apart from the exercise being his constitutional right, he is also doing well in administering the state. Even if he had maintained his earlier position, we would have insisted that he ran. But it is good he is seeing it from the same lenses with us. He should run.”
