Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has maintained that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) cannot stop President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Ebonyi State.
According to Umahi, the threat message from the IPOB spokesperson to declare an empty street during President Buhari’s visit remains inconsequential.
Umahi stated this at the new Government House Chapel during a state special thanksgiving service.
He also noted that the commissioning of projects done under his administration by the President was postponed to next year due to the President’s trip outside the country.
“I saw where one misguided element that calls himself IPOB said the president is not welcome in Ebonyi. I said to him, it is inconsequential and he is a misguided element.
“I was in Paris and I told Mr President that the leaders of South-East will want to visit him over the issue of peace in the South-East and I appealed to him to postpone the visit to early next year, but I didn’t want to tell our people because I was pushing for the completion of most of the projects as if Mr President was going to come this year.
“So, Mr President will come when we want him to come. So, that guy is an inconsequential human being. If he is serious, let him lead the war to Ebonyi State and let him see if he will find feet to go back. So, all commissioning will be from next year January,” he said.
He further told People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members in the state that he cannot return to the party which he described as Egypt.
According to him, he has performed better under his APC party and will never return to the PDP and berated those peddling the rumour that he wants to go back to PDP.
He however commended the opposition PDP for keeping him in check but challenged them on constructive criticisms.
“And to the opposition parties, thank you very much because you are keeping us in checks but the kind of opposition in Ebonyi State is a kind of bitterness, and that is not opposition. Opposition ought to be constructive,” he said.