Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) would win the 2023 presidential election.

Umahi, however, picked the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, as his second favourite.

The governor said this while speaking to State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday.

Umahi said he was in the State House to invite the President to inaugurate the new Ebonyi State Governor’s Lodge, recently completed by his administration.

He stated that Buhari has accepted the invitation, saying the project will be inaugurated in October.

Speaking further, the governor said the current political movement projecting Peter Obi would go a long way to prepare the ground for the realisation of an Igbo president in the future.

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He stated that the 2023 presidential election should be an all-South affair, saying he has been fascinated by the momentum created by the Obi movement.

Umahi added that the movement was awakening awareness about the people of the South-East and their political relevance.

The governor said: “What happened during the primaries of PDP and APC were a kind of miscalculation by our people, but to say whether they’re ready for the presidency of the country anytime, I think that the movement of Peter Obi is an eye opener and that’s why I said I love what he’s doing.

”I’m encouraged by what he’s doing because if he’s not doing what he’s doing, it means that Southeast would have been forgotten.

”So, while my party takes the victory, he would have prepared a very good ground for the South-East presidency, so that nobody is going to write us off and you can see the level of his acceptability, which does not translate to victory over APC. I’m sure of that.”

Governor Umahi further described Obi’s movement as “a good movement” for the realisation of Igbo presidency, saying: ”It reassures the Southeast people and the entire country that we’re accepted and that we’ll one become the President of this country. It’s very important.

”Peter Obi’s movement, and all the movements, are anchored on God’s will, it’s only God who knows who will win, but there must be a wish.

”As a party man, I would wish that our party wins and if God says no, the next person I’ll wish that should win is Peter Obi because I believe strongly, and I will say it anywhere, in this north/south presidency.

“After the North has taken eight years, there is no moral justification to be seeking to take another eight years, it should go to the South.

”So, I’m not wishing Peter Obi away. God has the final say and He has the power and gives to whomever He wishes.”

The Star