By Roland Ike, Abakaliki
Austin Umahi, younger brother of the Minister of Works, Chief David Umahi, has bowed to family pressure and withdrawn from the Ebonyi South district’s Senatorial race.
The seat become vacant after his elder brother and immediate past Governor resigned as Senator representing the district to become the Minister of Works.
Austin indicated interest in the bye-election fixed for February 2024 but the State Working Committee (SWC) of the All Progressives Congress Congress (APC) zoned the position away from the Umahi’s home Local Government Area.
Younger Umahi’s withdrawal from the race was contained in a statement signed by Chief Nwaze Umahi on behalf of the family on Friday and made available to newsmen in Abakaliki.
The family in the statement which was confirmed by Austin, said the decision was reached after its meeting on December 28.
“The family passionately appealed to Austin and his teeming supporters to shelve the legitimate ambition in the interest of peace.
“The plea was also to disappoint those who want to engender crisis and anarchy in the district.
“We believe that no position is worth spilling of blood and no sincere person who seeks to serve the people in any capacity should fight for it.”
The family appreciated Austin for acceding to its plea and thanked his supporters for their sustained support despite the party’s SWC resolution.
“We affirm that all power belongs to God and what he cannot do does not exist.
“The family is not unaware that the purported SWC resolution has no place in law as it is the exclusive preserve of the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) or the National Working Committee (NWC) to zone political offices.
“We are fully convinced that it is Austin’s inalienable, constitutional right as an APC member and Nigerian citizen from the district, to contest the APC primary for the bye-election,” the statement read.
The family opined that the SWC resolution was to scheme Austin out from the primary “due to his overwhelming grassroot support capable of granting him outright victory.
“Contrary to the SWC resolution, the APC has the moral burden to give Austin the right of first refusal having won the initial primary on May 28 but relinquished such to his brother, David.
“Austin is a reliable APC member who has worked selflessly and relentlessly for the party’s victories.
“He was the Director-General of the party’s campaign council in the last general elections and Gov. Francis Nwifuru’s sole agent in the governorship primary.
“Ausin was Nwifuru’s state Returning Officer in the governorship election as he performed these roles to the satisfaction all.”
