Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has extended a hand of friendship to his immediate predecessor, Chief Martin Elechi, by asking him to forget the past and join hands with him to rebuild the state.

Umahi, who spoke during this year’s Democracy Day celebration at the Abakaliki Township Stadium, also announced Elechi as one of the elder statesmen that would be honoured by his administration for their contributions to the upliftment of the state.

Others that will be honoured are former Governor Sam Egwu, former governor of old Abia State, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and a former Secretary to Government of the Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim.

Umahi said the honour will be an annual event slated for every Democracy Day to recognise great achievers of Ebonyi origin.

He said: “This year and of course every Democracy Day, we are going to be honouring our elder statesmen who have contributed in one way or the order to the upliftment of our state.

“We will not tell you what we shall honour them with, but the House of Assembly has given me the powers to do what I am set to do.

“So we shall be honouring His Excellency, Dr. Sam Egwu, the first civilian governor of this state. We also will be honouring His Excellency, Anyim Pius Anyim, the former SGF.

“We also will be honouring His Excellency, my boss, my father and my friend, Chief Martin Elechi. And I use the opportunity to ask him to please come on board, let old thing pass away, let’s come together to rebuild Ebonyi State.”

Umahi, who served as Elechi deputy, reassured the people that all the inherited projects from various administrations in the past, including those of Elechi’s administration, would be completed.

He asked the contractors handling the projects to relocate to their sites as according to him, they still had chunks of the state’s money paid to them to execute the contracts.

News Express reports that Elechi had strongly opposed the candidacy of Umahi as governor in preference for Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, a former Minister of Heath.

This led to the frosty relationship between governor Umahi and Elechi.

•Photo shows Governor Umahi.

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