Buhari’s aide, Adesina, makes case for Gov Umahi to contest for President in 2023

Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President Muhammadu Buhari, says Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is eminently qualified to contest for president in the 2023 elections.

Adesina, in a piece titled “Dave Umahi’s Heart of Lion” posted on his Facebook series, “From the Inside” and published on Friday, December 11, said though the ruling party “has not come out with its zoning formula yet, Umahi has the right to aspire for any position in government as long as he can muster the needed support and momentum for victory.”

Adesina who praised Umahi to high heavens in the piece, said the Governor proved himself to be a lion with the courage he “exhibited by dumping the opposition Peoples Democratic Party for the APC.”

“Umahi had always loved and respected President Muhammadu Buhari, and never hid it, though they were of different political parties,” Adesina wrote.

Continuing, he said:

“And the President reciprocated in like manner. In fact, the first state the President ever visited in the country and passed the night was Ebonyi. Umahi was PDP in the exterior, but APC at heart.

Read also: The ‘virus of hate’ against Buhari is ‘well and alive in Nigeria’, it is worse than coronavirus —Adesina

“My first inkling of what was on the way was about two years ago. There was a meeting of Progressive Governors (as those elected on the platform of APC are called), and Gov. Umahi had sent his deputy to attend. A PDP man among APC Governors? Something was definitely cooking.

“Now, the deed has been done. Gov. Umahi has done what Napoleon couldn’t do. He has officially crossed from the PDP to APC. Only a man with the heart of a lion could do that.

“Umahi has displayed courage of conviction. He said the South East has been let down by the PDP in the last 21 years, so it was time to switch camp.

“It takes the heart of a lion to change course in such setting. Some people said it was because he wanted to run for President in 2023. And why not?

“The party has not come out with its zoning formula, but in a democracy, anyone can aspire for any position, as long as he can muster the needed support and momentum for victory.”

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