Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, has described the choice of the presidential candidates of both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a miscalculation.

Umahi said this on Friday while responding to questions on whether the south-east was ready to produce the president of the country at an interaction with State House Correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa.

The governor said the vibrancy of the Labour Party (LP)’s presidential candidate; Peter Obi’s campaign movement has proven to be an eye opener to both parties on the readiness and acceptability of a south-eastern candidate for the 2023 presidential poll.

It will be recalled that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar had emerged the flag bearers of both the APC and PDP respectively in their party’s conventions.

Responding to the question, Umahi said: “What happened during the primaries of PDP and APC, were a kind of miscalculation by people. But to say whether they’re ready for the presidency of the country anytime, I think that the movement of Peter Obi is an eye opener. That’s why I said, I love what he’s doing. I’m encouraged by what he’s doing. Because if he’s not doing what he’s doing, it means that South East would have been forgotten.

“So, while my party takes the victory, he would have prepared a very good ground for a South East presidency, so that nobody is going to write us off. And you can see the level of his acceptability, which does not translate to victory over APC. I’m sure of that, but it’s a good movement. And it reassures the southeast people and the entire country that we are accepted; that we will one day become the president of this country. It is very important,” he said.

The governor debunked the insinuation that Obi’s political activities were responsible for the reduction of killings in the south-east, pointing out that security has improved generally across the country. (New Telegraph)

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