Anyim: Umahi begged me to shun PDP meetings after I refused to follow him to APC

Pius Anyim, former president of the senate, has narrated how David Umahi, governor of Ebonyi state, allegedly begged him to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Anyim accused Umahi of making “utterly senseless” allegations against him after the governor failed to persuade him to join him in leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Umahi, who decamped from the PDP two weeks ago, earlier claimed Anyim ditched their initial plan for the former senate president to join him in the APC.

He had said Anyim, a former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), pulled out of the purported defection plan because he (Umahi) visited President Muhammadu Buhari.

But in an open letter to the governor on Monday, Anyim said Umahi was  raising dust to “divert the attention of the public before he strikes.”

“In his delusion, he believed his own lies that he is the only man who matters in Ebonyi State. He did not consult with anybody notable before consummating his defection to APC. After his defection, no person of note followed him,” Anyim said.

“Unable to contain and manage the unsavory reactions from the public he ran to my home in the company of some high-profile people, on the 20th of November 2020, and pleaded with me to defect to APC, saying that if I do, others will follow suit. I pointed out to him that his approach has made it almost impossible for anybody to defect.

“He pleaded with me that if I cannot defect now, I should not attend any PDP meetings, and I said no, I must attend PDP meetings as long as I am in PDP.

“He realized that he could not persuade anybody when he saw the crème of Ebonyi Elders and citizen that gathered for the inauguration of PDP Caretaker Committee. He could no longer sleep and declared war on every one who has refused to defect with him.”

He said the offence he and other PDP big wigs in the state committed is their refusal to follow the governor to the APC, adding: “We do not know when belonging to parties of one’s choice has become an offence against a Governor or means fighting a Governor.”