2023: Top APC presidential aspirant withdraws from race

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state has withdrawn from the 2023 presidential race.

He has declared his intention to contest the Ebonyi South senatorial seat.

Mr Umahi, whose eight-year tenure as governor ends in 2023, was initially nursing a presidential ambition in January and had vowed to continue the policies of President Muhammadu Buhari if elected.

It is unclear the factors that informed the governor’s decision to abandon his presidential ambition.

The governor has been embroiled in a legal brawl with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

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Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court on March 8, sacked Mr Umahi and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, from the Ebonyi governorship seat, after the PDP successfully argued that votes in Nigerian elections belonged to political parties and not candidates.

However, an appeal court in Enugu upheld Mr Umahi’s position as governor, stating that his defection was constitutional, albeit immoral.