JUST IN: Nobody can stop Tinubu’s swearing in — Umahi

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State said yesterday nobody could stop, President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from becoming Nigeria’s next President after the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari ‘s tenure.

He advised those thinking they would rob Tinubu of his mandate to have a re-think.

The governor stated this in Abakaliki, when speaker of Ebonyi State Assembly and governor-elect, Francis Nwifuru, paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

Nwifuru was in the governor’s office to present to him his INEC Certificate of Return and appreciate him for his support which gave him and the All Progressives Congress’ victory at the recently concluded governorship polls.

Umahi called for an end to extreme and bitter politics, adding that Tinubu’s victory was divinely ordained by God

He said: “There is no power or force that will remove Tinubu from being the President, because the time God would have stopped him, God allowed him.

“Because God allowed him, no man can stop him. And this extreme politics should be de-emphasized in Nigeria so we can move forward, in a better Nigeria.”

Governor Umahi dedicated the victory of the All Progressives Congress in the state and across the country to God, maintaining that those seeking to upturn the victories at the tribunal were simply wasting their time and resources.

According to him, the party merited all it got at the polls.

On the governor-elect, Umahi praised his qualities and character, stressing that his election was built upon the platform of equity, peace and love in Ebonyi State and nurtured by all men of good will.

He said should the election be held again, the APC would still carry the day.

Umahi said:  “When people say they are going to Court or going to tribunal, I will just laugh.  The PDP got the little number they got in our state because the election became local in the sense that they had House of Assembly members from the various localities that were making efforts to also win.

“That’s why they got eighty thousand, against our One hundred and ninety-nine thousand votes; a clear difference of almost One hundred and twenty thousand.”

He further urged the Ebonyi governor-elect to consider for appointment into his team, the younger generation.

He noted that youths should be given more opportunities to contribute their knowledge to governance, and equally asked that the appointment of women in the cabinet be raised to 50 per cent.

Presenting the Certificate of Return to the governor, Nwifuru described him as “the man that made all that happened to happen,”

He appreciated the governor for standing strong for equity and justice in the state.

The governor-elect added: “Your Excellency, I am here this afternoon to present to you the Certificate of Return issued to me by the Independent National Electioral Commission on that fateful day made by the Lord, the 29th day of March, 2023, while you were away.”