TheCable

David Umahi, Ebonyi governor, says Pius Anyim, former president of the senate, pulled out of their plan to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) because he paid a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari without taking him along.

According to the PUNCH, Umahi revealed this while speaking at a stakeholders’ meetings at Ebonyi government house in Abakaliki on Sunday.

The governor was at the presidential villa on November 18 — a day after he confirmed his defection to the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). President Muhammadu Buhari commended Umahi, saying with men like him, the country’s democracy has a bright future.

But the Ebonyi national assembly caucus distanced itself from the governor on his decision.

The governor said the plan was for Anyim, a former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), to join him in the APC two weeks after he had “successfully” left the PDP.

Umahi said Ebonyi national assembly members agreed to defect with him but that they were unhappy because he “outsmarted” them by joining the APC first.

“They were planning to ambush me, but it is difficult to catch the air,” the governor said.