Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki
Governor David Umahi of ebonyi State has unleashed about five Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to represent him in the suit reportedly filed by some leaders of the All Progressives Congress in the state seeking the stoppage of his $150 million loan request.
Umahi had sought for the loan from African Development Bank (AfDB) which according to him was to enable the state government embark on the construction of a ring road that would connect some local governments in the state.
But the members of the opposition APC allegedly kicked against the loan, alleging that the state has high debt profile already. They reportedly said acquiring such loans would amount to heaping more burdens on their people.
“On 21st of this month, African Development Bank is coming from Abidjan to go round the ring road and determine the date of the award of the ring road. It is a shame that it is those who are benefiting most from the ring road are the ones that went to court. But I engaged them in the court with five Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs)”, Umahi boasted.
The governor disclosed this while addressing a crowd in Ohaukwu council area of the state at a mega rally organized for him at the weekend. He alleged that some youths have been contract to purvey propaganda against his administration in the social media especially on Facebook.
This was even as he challenged the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, and his predecessor, Chief Martin Elechi, to a debate at the APC national secretariat where all of them will tell the people their achievements in the state.
Umahi alleged that the two former governors of the state did nothing for the state while they held sway but now came out to frustrate his administration. He therefore vowed that he would retire all his opponents in 2019 general election the way he did in 2015.
“Let me challenge Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu. When he was a governor, there was nothing Ohaozara people or old Afikpo people can show for it. There is nothing Elechi can say is his legacy in this state, why don’t you leave us alone?
“Let me assure you that by the powers that brought us to power, we shall retire all of them in 2019. And let me tell them something, if they say they are leaders, I challenge them let us open a debate. Even if they want, let us go to their national party secretariat, I will meet them there. Let us debate about the future of this state and you will see they have nothing.
“When I went to Ikwo few days ago, I stood at the community of the immediate past Governor, Martin Elechi and I wept. I immediately directed the construction of one road that will pass the front of his house. The only road that is good in Ikwo is built by me. Today, I am building four more roads that are all going on in Ikwo local government”, he said.