As President Muhammadu Buhari plan to kick start his campaign in Ebonyi on Jan. 30, Governor David Umahi has said the people of the state would welcome the APC’s presidential candidate.

Umahi said on Wednesday during a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally in Ivo Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

He noted that Buhari is a friend of the state in spite of belonging to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“He is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and party and governance are different,” he said.

Umahi added: “The presidency will tell me if the president wants traditional rulers to meet with him.

“None of the opposition parties can pull the traditional rulers out without my consent.

“The people (presidency) know how to contact me and I will assemble all the traditional rulers to meet the president.”

He urged the people to vote for PDP candidates in the election, noting that every party stakeholder is a chairman in his respective polling unit.

“We will use our cameras to record the electoral process but not the actual voting inside the cubicle.

“I spoke with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman on Tuesday and he confirmed that cameras can be used as such and that the election will be free and fair,” he said.

Umahi commended Mr Pius Anyim a one time President of the Senate for his support.

Anyim who was also a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) welcomed Umahi to the area and pledged the peoples’ support for his re-election bid.

“We are here to celebrate what has been written and we have no doubt in our abilities, haven tested and seen what it looks like.

“I want to therefore say that the second term bid of the governor is a forgone conclusion,” he said.

Mr Onyekachi Nwebonyi, the state PDP Chairman, urged the people to vote for the party’s candidates in all elections from presidential to the house of assembly. (NAN)