Chief Dave Umahi's Appointments Unsettle Campaign Organisation, PDP

Chief Dave Umahi's Appointments Unsettle Campaign Organisation, PDP
The recent appointments made by the newly sworn-in governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Dave Umahi has continued to cause worry among members of the Divine Mandate, the governor’s campaign organisation, and many supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.


It would be recalled that shortly after he was sworn-in on May 29, Governor Umahi, announced the appointment of Prof. Aja A. Aja, as the chief press secretary, while Prof. Bernard Odoh, was appointed as the new secretary to the state government (SSG).

Some members of the campaign organisation and PDP supporters interviewed by LEADERSHIP expressed regret over the appointment of those they described as “outsiders” into key government positions.

“In the Divine Mandate, we have professional journalists and media

guru’s that we had tipped to emerge as the Chief Press Secretary, but to the shock of many, the Prof. was brought in as the CPS. My fear is that, the appointment may cause disaffection, ill feeling and mass defection from the party”, said a member of the campaign organisation who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A member of the PDP who also spoke on condition of anonymity wondered why Gov. Umahi, appointed Prof. Odoh, who contested the last senatorial election on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), for the Ebonyi Central Senatorial zone, as the SSG.

Gov. Umahi had during his electioneering campaign tours to the 13 local government areas of the state, said he would run an all inclusive administration if he won the election.

A youth leader from Afikpo South local government area, Hon Uka Innocent regretted that while most of them laboured and toiled during the last general elections for the party’s success at the polls, the two appointees either worked against the PDP or were nowhere close to the campaign organization.

“It is unfortunate and regrettable that someone who worked against the interest of the party and another who was busy with his job elsewhere in the country became the first beneficiaries of the success of the party. It is demoralizing; a lot fought for the success of the party believing they stand a chance of getting an appointment, but with the appointments made so far, everybody is scared because we don’t know what to expect again”, he complained.