The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, on Sunday revealed that he planned his defection to the All Progressives Congress together with the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim. Umahi, who disclosed this while addressing APC stakeholders at a meeting held at the Bouquet Lodge of the old Government House, Abakaliki, said Anyim backed out of the plan because he (Umahi) went to see the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rted.), over the defection plan without carrying him along.

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According the governor, the plan was for Anyim and other leaders to join him in the APC two weeks after he must have successfully defected. Umahi said he consulted all the National Assembly members and the elders in the state about his defection to the APC, adding that they gave their nod to it, and even agreed to defect with him.

He said the only grievance of the NASS members and other leaders was that he outsmarted them by joining the APC before them. “They were planning to ambush me, but it is difficult to catch the air,” he said.

Reacting to the allegation making the round that Anyim gave him N5bn to prosecute his governorship election in 2015, Umahi said, “I was a deputy governor, somebody occupying the highest position from the South-East (referring to Anyim) went and arranged for N5bn loan for me to prosecute the presidential election for his government. I had to sell many of my property to pay back that money.”