Umana Leads Delegation To Beg Buhari For Ministerial Slot
Strong indications have emerged that Umana Okon Umana the defeated APC governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom has concluded arrangements to lead a delegation to persuade the President-elect Gen. Mohamudu Buhari to reconsider his earlier stand which excluded Umana Umana from his cabinet list on grounds of corruption.
Investigations show that the move became necessary after the APC national leadership disqualified and cancelled the name of Obong Umana from a delegation led by the Imo state Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha which visited General Buhari at the Defence House two days ago.
The delegation had in attendance all APC governors, all APC governors-elect, APC governorship candidates except Umana Umana, leaders of APC such as Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti.
The delegation among other things submitted the names of ministerial nominees from the 36 states of the federation to the president-elect.
An insider at the Defence House in Abuja revealed that Obong Umana failed to make Buhari’s ministerial list over allegations of corruption and his failure to muster support for Buhari in the March 28 Presidential elections.
This has informed the move by Umana Umana to lead people such as Obong Victor Attah to meet with Buhari to beg him to reconsider Umana for a slot in his cabinet after his lawyers told him in confidence that it would be impossible to upturn the gubernatorial victory of PDP's Udom Emmanuel at the tribunal.
Obong Attah it was learnt has since developed cold feet in assisting Umana Umana because of similar interest from Don Etiebet and Senator Ita Enang who are also seriously lobbying for the ministerial seat.
Findings shows that Don Etiebet and Ita Enang have since intensified their lobby by blackmailing Umana Umana whom they branded as "greedy and corrupt". An inside source in the Defence House in Abuja shows that Gen. Buhari has previously rejected Umana's request to visit him twice.
It would be recalled that Buhari had earlier rejected Umana's maneuvers for him to come and campaign for Umana in Akwa Ibom shortly after being declared the president-elect.
When contacted on the development, APC Governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Umana Okon Umana through his media team, confirmed the development but denied any intention of lobbying for the position of Minister.
According to the APC media team, “Mr Umana will tomorrow lead a delegation of party leaders and elders from the state to pay a courtesy call on the President-elect, Gen Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja tobrief the President-elect on the events of April 11, his petition and other issues germane to the development of our dear state.”
17 out of 31 local government Chapter chairmen of the APC in Akwa Ibom State had recently congratulated Udom Emmanuel of the PDP on his victory and urged Mr Umana to accept the result in good faith.