Diaspora Group Cautions Umahi Against Dividing S’East Over Politics
The Association of Ebonyi Indigenes Socio-Cultural in the Diaspora (AEISCID) has cautioned the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, against making divisive comments capable of pitching Ebonyi people against their Igbo brothers.
The group said it was reacting to a viral video in which Umahi claimed that leaders of the state were being attacked for saying they would not support the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, and that Ebonyi people were not second-class citizens in Igbo land who only matter during elections.
According to the statement, Umahi was quoted as saying: “You are calling out people like us because we said we will not vote for him and we tell our people not to vote for him, and you are insulting us.”
Umahi, in the video, also questioned Obi’s relationship with Ebonyi people, alleging that he did not appoint any Ebonyi indigene while serving as governor of Anambra State, and challenged Obi to name one Ebonyi person he appointed.
The minister was further quoted as saying: “Just like it’s not the turn of the South-East and Peter Obi to be president of Nigeria, it’s not the turn of Ebonyi South to be governor of Ebonyi State.”
He also reportedly said he would engage the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ebonyi, Chief Anyi Chuks Odii, to step down from the race on grounds of zoning, saying: “So, I will go and talk to Anyi Chuks to step down from his governorship campaign. It’s turn by turn.”
Reacting, AEISCID described Umahi’s comments as divisive, shameful, uncouth and unbecoming of a former governor and serving minister.
The group, in a statement signed by its President Worldwide, Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu, said Umahi has appointed himself an unofficial spokesperson of Ndigbo and was promoting a zoning narrative that is primitive, unconstitutional and anti-democratic.
“We as a socio-cultural group whose interest remains the peace, unity and progress of not only Ebonyi State but the rest of the South-East and Nigeria at large wish to vehemently condemn these statements as they are shameful, uncivil, uncouth and terribly unbecoming of a leader at the level of Umahi,” the statement said.
The group said it was troubled by what it described as relentless attacks on Peter Obi and other Igbo and Ebonyi politicians by the minister for exercising their constitutional right to seek elective office.
AEISCID said if the comments were aimed at creating an impression that the APC is acceptable and has a chance of winning the 2027 general elections, then Umahi was living in denial.
The group recalled that Umahi as sitting governor failed to deliver his Onuofokwuru Polling Unit and his Umunaga-Uburu Ward to the APC in the 2023 presidential election and also lost his senatorial election even in his Uburu village.
The association further faulted Umahi’s stance on zoning in Ebonyi, noting that he contested and won the governorship in 2015 despite the selection of then Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, from the same Ebonyi South zone by his predecessor, Chief Martin Elechi.
“Our clear understanding of his outlandish position to persuade the PDP candidate in Ebonyi 2027 governorship election, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, to step down is simply so he can continue to exert his influence on the state’s purse while using his stooge, Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru, as an extension of his reign,” the group alleged.
It alleged that Umahi nominated his son, Osborn Umahi, as Council Chairman for Ohaozara LGA and is already positioning him for future governorship.
The group urged the PDP governorship candidate to ignore Umahi’s comments and continue to offer alternative ideas to Ebonyi people, insisting that Ebonyi voters, not zoning, will decide the 2027 election.
“Ebonyi voters to continue to support and vote for him in the 2027 governorship elections as they, not Umahi, would be the ultimate deciders of the election and their future,” AEISCID said.
The group said the state has recorded no significant development project in nearly four years of the Nwifuru administration because it is under the grip of godfathers.
AEISCID gave Umahi 72 hours to recant his statements and apologise to Obi, Odii, Ebonyians and Ndigbo or face legal consequences, and called on the Tinubu-led administration to rein him in.
“His role as a member of FEC should be to preach peace, unity and togetherness of every Nigerian regardless of political differences and not to incite hate and divisive commentaries especially at this fragile campaign and election season,” the group added.
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