By Ruth Oginyi
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State on Friday said ‘no man’ can stop his Edo State counterpart, Godwin Obasieke, from seeking for a second term bid and stressed that power belongs to God Almighty.
Umahi spoke when Southern Governors Wives’ Forum led by Mrs. Besty Obaseki paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Abakaliki before the forum’s meeting in the state.
The Ebonyi governor is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while Governor Obaseki of Edo is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He noted that the incumbent Edo governor is an asset to Nigerian government based on his antecedents and cannot be wished away in the leadership of the country particularly of Edo State.
Umahi said, “Power belongs to God, no matter what wrangling anybody is doing, it is God that can give power. And because of the good work your husband (Obaseki) has been doing for the people of Edo State, no man can remove him.
“It happened during my own time. Even in our NEC meeting, when the man is speaking you see an Economics, a man that is coming from a private sector and we cannot wish such a person away.
“You see at stages of life, God brings out people for a particular purpose. I say the types of Governors we have now are blessings to Nigeria. And you are all parts, and associates of these blessings.
“Do not mind the media problem, Governors are not in competition. Everyone is called according to the challenges in our zones and states. The only competitions we have is within ourselves. We learn from one another.”
Umahi commended the wife the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari for bringing the women together and said it showcased her love for the country and encouraged the women to toll the footsteps of the first lady in building peace and unity across the country.
“Let me use this opportunity to commend the mother of the country, she is a very good mother, a passionate woman, in all honesty. She has love for Nigeria, she is a woman that doesn’t wants to know where someone is coming from, if you are from PDP or APC she does not want to know the political party you are coming from, I want to thank her for bringing you together.
“So far you continue to be together, I can assure you that it creates a greater coalition for the Governors in this country. Governors are very important for the unity and oneness of this nation. We are passing through a very difficult time. A quite challenging time but through her and you people we are able to weather the storm, and now, we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel.
“The challenges we face is not peculiar to Nigeria alone, when the transparency international rated Nigeria very low in fighting corruption. Is not because we are as corrupt as they said, it is because our handlers need to change in the tactics of fighting corruption and this is what the transparency international is talking.
“Mr President has done quite a lot in real fight against corruption but we need to change tactics we need to stop media trial, we need to do more of protective kind of fighting corruption than reactive one.
“Mr President has been very good to us, he is not partisans at all, and that is why we continue to support him and any Governor that castigates the president should have his head examined”.
In a remark, the chairperson of Southern Governors Wives’ Forum and wife of Edo state Governor, Mrs Besty Obasieke said Mrs Buhari instituted the association when she came into power in 2015 with the aim of establishing a formidable collaboration among the Governors wives and bringing ideas that will help their states.
“The main focus of this meeting is to support our sister in what she is doing and participate in empowerment. This is the way to create impact amongst ourselves.
“The whole essence is for us to impact, to collaborate, to interact to bring new ideas to assist our husbands.
Our correspondent reports that out of the 17 States that made up the forum, wife of ten governors were present.
They include Mrs Besty Obasieke of Edo state, Chairperson of the forum, Mrs. Rachel Ogonnaya Umahi of (Ebonyi), Mrs. Monica Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Mrs. Edith Okowa (Delta), Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu (Abia), Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Mrs. Bisi Fayemi (Ekiti), Mrs. Kafayat Oyetola (Osun), Mrs. Linda Ayade (Cross River), and Engr. Mrs. Tamunominini Makinde (Oyo).
