The Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki diocese, Bishop Nnachi Okoro has tasked the governor of Ebonyi state Engr. David Umahi and the former secretary to the government of the federation, Senator Pius Anyim Pius to hatch their political swords.
Bishop Okoro who met with Umahi and Anyim at the weekend noted the importance of the ceasefire in their political fight.
Recall that the governor David Umahi, Senator Anyim Pius, Senator Sam Egwu who is the former governor of the state and all the serving senators/ Members of the House of Representatives currently in the national Assembly have been engulfed in political crisis since after the defection of Umahi from PDP to APC.
It was gathered that Bishop Okoro was moved with passion to end the growing tension and insecurity that resulted in killings of innocent citizens of the state by suspected cultists.
The Bishop in collaboration with the founding fathers of the state engaged governor Umahi, Sen. Anyim, Dr. Egwu and other political actors in a close -door meeting that took place at the Bishop’s house, Pastoral centre Abakaliki, located along old Enugu Road.
It was equally gathered that the meeting was convoked to reconcile Umahi and Anyim, especially with the recent political development in southeast, where it was alleged that senator Pius Anyim and other top political leaders in both PDP and APC in Southeast is working in collaboration to edge out chief David Umahi from the mainstream actors in the agitation of Nigerian president of Igbo extraction come 2023.
However, an inside source who confided in us said that the Bishop tasked Umahi, Anyim, Egwu to put away their political differences and allow peace to reign for the sake of the state.
The governor had earlier for the sake of maintaining peace and order in the state, tendered an apology to his political opponent’s and called for a ceasefire of all attacks on his opponents.
“I offer apologies to them. I am not going to sit on the judgment with anybody. This apologies and forgiveness should be enough to settle all bad blood’s. And I have no regret for that. God directed me to do this. And I thank all our leaders who have intervened.
He equally instructed all government functionaries and supporters not to reply to attacks meted against his administration.
He said: “let me publicly say it here, that I have directed that nobody should abuse anybody again even if I’m abused, it goes with the job. Do not respond back to them but you should always put any distorted information against us straight.
“I am the father of the state. And I should be ashamed of myself if the state of Ebonyi is allowed to go into bitterness and into disunity.
“I have decided to move forward. I have decided to forgive all and at the cost of this, those who may have been hurt because I take responsibility for the actions of all my government officials. And for all my supporters.
Umahi, however, commended the Bishop and the founding fathers of the state for their prompt intervention to resolve their feuds.
“I thank the Catholic Bishop Nnachi Okoro, I thank CAN people led by the chairman Rev. Dr Abraham Nwali, I thank the founding fathers, I thank the Ohanaeze leadership led by Chief Nnia Nwodo, Uchenna Madu and all the leaders of the south east” he added.
It was alleged that the National Assembly members could not attend the meeting