Unknown to the PDP and its big shots, Ebonyi Gov Dave Umahi and many party stalwarts in the state, including the National Assembly members planned to defect when Umahi did.
It turned out others who backed off felt disappointed that the governor outsmarted them—the authors of the defection plan—when he went to see President Muhammadu Buhari at Aso Rock.
While briefing the APC leadership in the state, Umahi listed former Sen. President Anyim Pius Anyim and Ebonyi federal lawmakers among the would-be defectors.
According to him, Anyim backed out of the plan because Umahi went to see President Buhari over the defection plan without carrying him along.
“The plan was for Anyim and other leaders to join him in APC two weeks after he must have successfully defected, saying he consulted all the National Assembly members and the elders from the state about his defection from the PDP,” he said.
“All of them gave nod to it, and even agreed to the defection arrangement, he said.
He noted the only grievance of the national lawmakers and other leaders was that he ‘outsmarted’ them by joining APC before them, revealing that they actually wanted to join APC before him.
“They were planning to ambush me, but it is difficult to catch the air,” he said.