Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), says Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, can contest for president in the 2023 elections. He said though the ruling All Progressives Congress has not come out with its zoning formula, Umahi has the right to aspire for any position in government "as long as he can muster the needed support and momentum for victory".
Adesina in a piece on Friday titled, 'Dave Umahi's Heart of Lion', praised the Ebonyi State governor for having the courage to dump the opposition Peoples Democratic Party for the APC.
He said Umahi had been a believer in the Buhari presidency even while he was in the opposition party.
The president's spokesman wrote,
"My first inkling of what was on the way was about two years ago. There was a meeting of Progressive Governors (as those elected on the platform of APC are called), and Gov Umahi had sent his deputy to attend. A PDP man among APC Governors? Something was definitely cooking.
"Now, the deed has been done. Gov Umahi has done what Napoleon couldn’t do. He has officially crossed from the PDP to APC. Only a man with the heart of a lion could do that."
NEWSMEN had earlier reported that the APC National Executive Committee on Tuesday approved waivers for Umahi and others who just joined the party to contest elective positions on the party's platform without waiting for a particular number of years.
Umahi, who defected last month from the PDP to the APC, had complained of marginalisation
Adesina corroborated Umahi's claims, saying the South-East must play better politics to get the ultimate office in the country.
The president's spokesman further wrote, "Umahi has displayed a courage of conviction"
