The chairman of the South East Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, at the weekend revealed how some persons allegedly bribed the electoral panel to screen him out in the last 2015 general elections.
Umahi made this known while addressing party faithful shortly after being screened for his second term governorship race by the Screening Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which took place at the party zonal office in Enugu.
He recalled how he was oppressed in 2015 by his rivals to a point of bribing the panel to screen him out for pursuing his Governorship ambition against their support.
The Governor, who obediently went through the screening processes, noted that the will of God must always prevail over the affairs of the Country irrespective of the whims and caprices of those in privileged positions.
He further called on Nigerians to make themselves available to be used by God to change the current situation in the country for the better by making the right choices in 2019.
Umahi applauded the national leadership of PDP under Uche Secondus and the Zonal Chairman, Austin Umahi, for bringing peace to the party and repositioning it for greater political impact.
“I am grateful to God for being here once again. God reminded me that about this time 4 years ago, I came to the same Enugu for screening.
“Then, I came like an oppressed person; as a challenged person with lots of uncertainties and people had gone ahead of me to offer bribe to the panel so that I would be screened out but God later prevailed
“It is an honour and privilege. It is not by might but by the will of God.
“I am very thankful to God and the leadership of the party at the national level and the national Vice Chairman for bringing peace to the party.
“It is our prayer that God will prevail in the affairs of this nation and the right choices will emerge.” he stated.
Responding, The National Vice Chairman of the party, South-east zone, Austin Umahi noted that a total of 10 governorship aspirants under the platform of PDP in the zone have been screened by the Committee.
According to him, seven out of the ten governorship aspirants came from Imo State while the three others are the incumbent governors in Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi states respectively.
He noted that the current developments in the party were depictions of a re-branded, a restructured body ready to regain its lost national political status.
Umahi further described the screening exercise as a huge success, adding that the Party has understood its past mistakes and have decided to correct all.
He stated that the success recorded in the screening exercise was a reflection of what has been put in place at the national level towards the ultimate triumph of the party through its forth-coming national convention.
“Since we started this exercise in the South-East, we the zonal working committee, we have been going round and it has been rancour- free and we give glory to God” he stressed.
The zonal chairman stressed that the entire screening process had been conducted in accordance with the rules of engagement as enshrined in the party’s Constitution.
He expressed optimism that PDP would win and retain all the States in the South-East zone, come 2019.
Those in attendance in the screening exercise are the PDP Governors of Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi states, so also the former member of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha and six others from Imo State.
Comments