Obi is Afraid of Me, Says Umeh

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh has said that former Anambra State governor, Mr Peter Obi was afraid of facing him in the Anambra Central senatorial contest.

Umeh said he would beat Obi if PDP went ahead to field him for the contest, except that he is not eligible for it as the court had earlier banned PDP from fielding a candidate.

Speaking on the growing speculation that the PDP may field Obi in the Anambra Central senatorial rerun that has lingered for over a year now, Umeh said the matter was being determined in court.

Recall that the Court of Appeal, Enugu had on December 7, last year nullified the election of the PDP candidate in the senatorial election, Mrs Uche Ekwunife who was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the 2015 general elections.

Umeh said “The matter is to determine whether PDP has the right to field another candidate in the re-run ordered by the Court of Appeal, Enugu.

“The Federal High Court, Abuja, chose to go against the law and ordered that PDP should be allowed to fill in another candidate in the election.

“From all decided cases so far, you can see that the Federal High Court is completely wrong.

“That of Anambra Central is just a matter of time, the delay which we experience was as a result of the vacation the court went on in July.

“Even if Obi contests, I will win him. I am more acceptable at the grassroots than Obi and that is why you see me everywhere.

“I taught Obi politics and I can never be afraid of somebody I helped to become governor. He doesn’t know anything in Politics and that is why he is wandering in the wilderness, now. Obi is in the wilderness in terms of politics in Nigeria.

Reminded that Obi recorded great achievements as a governor, Umeh said “He didn’t put all those projects on ground alone.

“I was a big player. I made sure he became governor. He came to me, I didn’t go to him. I took him from the scratch. I never went to Obi to solicit from him to support me in anything.

“He took a flight to Enugu to come and beg me to support him for governorship in 2001 and when I accepted, I took him round, campaigned for him and made him governor.

“Even when he was denied the victory, I was solidly behind him in his tribunal case. I was in a witness box for him for one month, day to day.

“I was the anchor person for him. I stood against Ngige, he wasn’t alone. I was his backbone.”

Umeh said “Even when Obi was impeached, I played a pivotal role in bringing him back. I took his case to tenure interpretation and also stood out to save the party.

“With Ojukwu, we stood by him; so, its children that will say that Peter Obi is a Superman. I can remember four times he knelt down and was begging me when he was in distress. He is rather afraid of me.
Ends.