President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday expressed happiness over the defection of the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The president, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Garba Shehu, said he was “very proud” of the governor for switching to the ruling party.
He described Umahi’s defection to the APC “as a bold move driven purely by principle rather than opportunistic motives.”
The president noted that with men like Umahi, he foresee a brighter future for the country’s democracy, stressing that voters would be more motivated by performance records of parties and their candidates.
He said: “I am proud of Governor David Umahi for taking this bold decision in accordance with his conscience and principles rather than any external influence or coercion.
“Good governance is very important to us in the APC, and I’m glad that the governor has cited this as a major factor in his decision to join us. I urge our citizens to pay less emphasis on identity politics if we want our democracy to make a positive impact on our country.
“Let me once again; commend the boldness of Governor Umahi for taking this courageous decision in a country where principles are in short supply among many. I know people might call him names, but that is the price men of principles have to pay for acting according to their conscience and convictions.”
The Ebonyi governor officially confirmed his move to the APC on Tuesday.
Umahi said at a press briefing in Abakaliki that he dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of the injustice meted out to the South-East people despite several years of loyalty to the party.
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