The former Secretary to Ebonyi State Government (SSG), Professor Bernard Odoh, Sunday said he was not against Governor Dave Umahi as a person but the policies and programmes of his administration.
Odoh served as Secretary to Ebonyi state Government during Umahi’s first tenure. But resigned his position at the middle of the administration and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he contested 2019 governorship election and lost the party ticket to a former a Senator, Chief Sonni Ogbuoji.
His resignation which was seen by Umahi as a betrayal, was greeted with pocket of protests by the Governor’s loyalists across the state.
Odoh while speaking with journalists in his Ezza North country home, explained that he resigned his position as the SSG because of the Governor’s principles which he said he was not comfortable with.
He noted that his stand on some policies and programmes of the present administration in the state remained unchanged even though he is now in the same party with the Governor.
“My disagreement with the government was on principle, if those principles are not changed, my principles remain my principle, I don’t waver on issues. I’m consistent in my style. If the issues that led to my exit are not being addressed, yes we are the same party members, I’m a loyal party man when critical matters are important the party will take decisions”.
“I’m not against anybody per say I’m against wrong priorities of government, whether in my own party or outside party, I will express what I believe in. It doesn’t matter how it is. Once the priorities are not right I will Express myself, that’s who I am, that’s what I stand for.
The former SSG opined that he was not against Umahi joining the APC but that his position has been that whatever policy the state government must drive, must be the one that will lift people of the state from poverty.
“Party is associations of people of like minds, so every political party will welcome expansion and growth. I don’t have anything against that, we welcome him, he is part of the party now, we wish him well. I personally wish him well and I have no grouse against him but my position has been that whatever policy we must drive must be policies that will lift our people from poverty, not policy that will escalate poverty on our environment.
“So it doesn’t matter whether the person is in my party or out of my party once our people prospers everybody will be happy. But if we don’t prosper and poverty is escalated then everybody is in trouble. So, I have nothing against the Governor, he was my former boss, I pray for him and wish him well. We are not fighting but my own principles are well known and I don’t think there is anything in contention now that we begin to speak left and right”, he said.
Odoh said that he has not defected from the APC contrary to speculations.
He however, said he has received complaints from his supporters across the state on how they were being treated unjustly in the APC.
“I have not defected, I don’t do things in the dark, if I have any reason to defect I will communicate our people as at when due but for now I’m an APC member fully deep in APC activities.
“So there is no reason to panic, our people should relax, there is no election today or tomorrow, there is no election next tomorrow, so there is no need for all the panic and the rest of them .
“We have also reassured ourselves, we got some complaints from some of our members who expressed dissatisfaction with some developments of the party, where some people are selected and treated fairly and others are not treated fairly.
“We have said people should calm down, if you are not invited for a meeting relax, there is nothing to worry about, if you are invited attend, just calm down there is absolutely no reason for anxiety. We have also encouraged our people we have also said the future is quite bright, we are still where we were, we are still for them”, Odoh said.
