The Labour Party (LP) candidate for Ebonyi South Senatorial District in the last general election, Linus Okorie, said he had no personal grudges against Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State.
Speaking on Wednesday during an interview with journalists in Abakaliki, the state capital, Okorie stated that he was only pursuing his political ambitions.
OsunDaily News reports that Umahi and Okorie were political allies until Okorie nursed the ambition to contest for the Senatorial seat on the platform of LP. However, they are currently engaged in a legal battle for the senatorial seat which was won by Umahi.
Okorie had filed a petition at the election tribunal against Umahi’s declaration as a winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, Okorie’s action has not gone down well with Umahi who had expressed concern that one of his political allies was now challenging him.
In a chat with reporters on Wednesday, Okorie acknowledged the role Umahi has played in his political life, adding that he also played a role in Umahi’s emergence as a governor in 2015.
The former House of Representatives member said he had the chance to run for the governorship then but sacrificed his ambition due to his love and loyalty to Umahi.
He said: “Umahi, as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2010, was instrumental to my emergence as a House of Representatives member.
“I, my family, and generations will always keep this in mind; it can never be written off.
“It should, however, be noted that from 2008, I and the Odefas built the structure on which he emerged as the party chairman, deputy governor, and subsequently governor.
“During my first stint at the House of Representatives, I had the privilege of having ears where it mattered.
“I had the chance to run for the governorship then but sacrificed the ambition due to my love and loyalty to him.
“I fell out with him because he never wanted me to vie for the Senate, as this cost me a return to the House of Representatives in 2019,” he alleged.
“I have benefitted tremendously from him, but he has also benefited from me.”
