Umahi told Journalists that his reason for APC was to protest for injustice being done to the south east by PDP.
The governor also debunked rumor that he was living the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of his demanded for the 2023 Presidential ticket of the country.
He further denied being promised any special package in APC.
He said, “I want to clear the air that I didn’t ask for PDP presidential ticket and I will not. So, anybody saying that I have gone to the APC because PDP didn’t zone the PDP presidential ticket to me is being mischievous because number one is that even if PDP promises an individual a presidential ticket, how does it work when over 8,000 delegates will be electing the persons and such promise cannot happen with more than ten or twenty people? So, people are being very mischievous about that.
“Some people said I was promised this and that before joining APC, there was no such discussion. APC never promised me any position, they never promised south east any position, and there was no such discussion.
“However, I offered this movement as a protest to injustice being done to the south east by PDP. Since 1998, the south east people have supported PDP in all elections; at a time the five states in south east were all PDP. One of the founding members of PDP is from south, His Excellency Dr. Alex Ekwueme east; the late former Vice President. And so, it is absurd that since 1998 going to 2023 that southeast will never be considered to run for presidency under the ticket of the PDP, is very absurd and this is my position and it will continue to be my position, it has nothing to do with me.
“The point is very simple. In 2023, I would have been in PDP between 23 and 24 years and south east never really supported APC the way they are supporting PDP and in that 2023, they would have been 8 years in office but it would have been about 23 years going. So, I believe strongly that the will of God will come to play but I believe that APC is amenable to working with south east from all indication, it’s amenable and I also believe that until justice and equity is implanted in this nation Nigeria, it is difficult for Nigeria to make progress.”
The governor further said he would be retiring from politics in 2023, but demanded for the next President of the country to come from South East region.
Umahi said that having been successful governor for two tenures and a successful business man, he would return to business where he also has calling.
Umahi said the South East has remained faithful to PDP, voted for its candidates, yet had not been considered fairly in Nigerian polity.
He said that if an Igbo man is President, he would naturally be protective of all sections of the country more so, because the Igbo have stake in all parts of Nigeria.