The President, who described Umahi’s defection “as a bold move driven purely by principle rather than opportunistic motives,” said he is proud of the governor.
Buhari said this in a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President, Garba Shehu, on Wednesday, November 18, 2020.
The statement quoted the president as saying, “I am proud of Governor David Umahi for taking this bold decision in accordance with his conscience and principles rather than any external influence or coercion.
“Good governance is very important to us in the APC, and I’m glad that the governor has cited this as a major factor in his decision to join us. I urge our citizens to pay less emphasis on identity politics if we want our democracy to make a positive impact on our country.”
Buhari further said, “With men like Umahi, I foresee a brighter future for our democracy because the voters will be more motivated by performance records of parties and their candidates.”
“Let me once again; commend the boldness of Governor Umahi for taking this courageous decision in a country where principles are in short supply among many. I know people might call him names, but that is the price men of principles have to pay for acting according to their conscience and conviction.”
