The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, on Tuesday said the attack on him by his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, was borne out of envy.
Wike had in a viral video on Saturday boasted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was behind the Federal High Court, Abuja, ruling which sacked Umahi and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in November 2020.
He vowed that the party would do everything possible to reclaim its mandate from the Ebonyi governor even if it means getting to the Supreme Court.
But in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Francis Nweze, the governor said Wike was intimidated by his achievements and rising profile.
The statement read: “We like to place it on record that Ebonyi State is not in the same geopolitical zone with Rivers State, and so nothing would have prompted Nyesom Wike to make such unguarded comment about Governor Umahi, if he is not a cheeky hatchet job-man.
“Not much surprised at the comment though; we would have ignored it as one of his blubberings but it has become imperative we make a few annotations for clarity.
“Wike, from the statement, has taken responsibility for the pronouncement of the Federal High Court, thus requiring that he explains to Nigerians how he now calls the shots in the nation’s judiciary without being a judge.
“It is on record that Governor Umahi, since the legal battle started, has conducted himself properly by filing an appeal in a court of superior records and did not resort to horse-trading like his counterpart, Nyesom Wike, who speaks as if he has the Nigeria judiciary in his armpit, which is impossible.
“We are, however, not unaware that the envy of Nyesom Wike is the earth-shattering accomplishments of the Governor Umahi led administration in Ebonyi State which include, but are not limited to over 17 twin flyovers, state of the art King David University of Medical Sciences, the best of its kind in Africa, the shopping mall, the best International airport in Nigeria, payment of civil servants, massive empowerment of the youths, widows, clergy and so much more.
“While not joining issues with the governor, we would like to remind Wike that hence he riggled himself out of the 2015 Appeal Court ruling dismissing him as governor of Rivers State, Governor Umahi would come out of his current legal issues stronger and unscathed while still proceeding on his presidential ambition gallantly.”
