Governor of Ebonyi state, David Umahi, has lambasted the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole for demanding an apology from him for his alleged refusal to grant the party permission to use the Abakaliki Stadium for last Saturday rally.
Oshiomhole was addressing APC faithful in Ebonyi State at the rally, which later held at a playground beside the Offia Nwali Flyover at Presco Junction in Abakaliki, the state capital.
He said the governor should not overuse his powers, adding that he (Oshiomhole) felt bad when he heard that Umahi, who he called his friend, could deny his party the use of the township stadium.
“…If we were to take it in other level and the Federal Government decides that the governor should not drive on the Federal Government roads, what happens? Somebody said he will fly. What if we stopped him from flying through Federal Government airport? What happens?” Oshiomhole said.
But the governor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, described the statement as baseless.
The statement said: “It is very shameful for Oshiomhole to have made the statement credited to him while in the state.
“…Oshiomhole and Umahi have shared great friendship before this rally, and as a sitting governor, Umahi, while in Edo State to conduct governorship primary of the PDP in 2014, did not only pay a courtesy call on Oshiomhole but also had personal interaction as brothers, despite their differences in political association. This is a pure example of political maturity exhibited by Umahi.
“One would have expected Oshiomhole, as a senior comrade, to show respect to a sitting governor… But he decided to fly into Abakaliki, enjoyed the ambience of a serene environment and drove round a beautiful city with the best road network in the country and then mounted the podium and started spewing his usual political blackmail.”