EXTRA: God spoke to me about contesting presidency, says Umahi

Dave Umahi, governor of Ebonyi, says God spoke to him about declaring his intention to run for president in the 2023 general election.

On Tuesday, Umahi disclosed that he had informed Buhari of his intention to contest the presidency.

The Ebonyi governor’s announcement came about 24 hours after Bola Tinubu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said he had informed Buhari that he was interested in running for president.

Speaking on Tuesday in an interview on Channels Television on if he had always nurtured a presidential ambition, the Ebonyi governor said he made his intention public after God spoke to him.

“Life is very dynamic and God speaks to me. So, it is progressive and I think that I spoke when God asked me to speak. This is what I believe,” he said.

“You know naturally, based on what God is doing for us in our state — the economic indices we have achieved by God’s special grace — a lot of people believe that we can have a kind of the same feat accomplished at the federal level if given the opportunity.

“Of course, you talk to God, God talks to you and this is prayer and then you listen to God. I think that I’m at peace with this decision.

“It is not about God telling you ‘you will win or not win’. When you have prayed and made certain decisions and you are at peace with that, then you can be sure God is with you.

“The outcome of it also depends on God. God has His own programmes for everybody. I think that God’s programme for me as far as this matter is concerned will be made manifest. So, I put my trust in him as far as this is concerned. Don’t forget God owns this life and that sleeping and waking up is a miracle.”

‘ONLY GOD KNOWS IF I WILL BE BUHARI’S PREFERRED CANDIDATE’

Last week, Buhari, in an interview, had said he would prefer to keep the name of his preferred successor secret.

Speaking on the development, Umahi said he hopes that God will make it possible for him to become the president’s “favoured” candidate.

“I’m not a mind reader and I’m not God. There is no way I will know what is in the mind of Mr President,” he said.

“My bible tells me ‘the heart of the king is at the palm of the Lord. He turns it anywhere he willeth’. If it pleases God, he will put me in the heart of Mr President and I could become that favoured candidate. For now, he has not told me and I can’t read his mind.”