When the Appellate Court reinstated Governor David Umahi from Ebonyi State's suspension by the Federal High Court earlier this year, he alleged that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State was to blame.
In Rivers State, during the commissioning of the renovated community secondary school Okoro nu Odo, Umahi made the statement.
On Governor Nyesom Wike's invitation, he was in Rivers for the State's project commissioning.
Remember that Umahi, his deputy Kelechi Igwe, and 15 state legislators were fired by the Federal High Court in Abuja in March 2022 as a result of their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Before they joined him in leaving the PDP for the APC, the 15 lawmakers were chosen on the PDP platform.
But as he reflected on what happened after he left the PDP, Umahi said he would not challenge Governor Wike again, adamant that no one could defeat him.
The first step is to look at the resignations of the G-3 governors of Cross River, Zamfara, and Ebonyi. Of course, governor Wike fought us, and fought us fiercely. When APC members questioned my support for Wike, I responded, "What did you do when Wike ousted me from office as governor of Ebonyi State in the first court, and you want me to come back and fight again?" I declared that I would not fight the man again after the bout. Therefore, it's a joke carried too far if anyone believes they can defeat Governor Wike in Rivers State. And I'll admit that with great boldness," Umahi remarked.