President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement issued on Wednesday by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, President Buhari said Umahi’s defection was based on principle rather than coercion.

“I am proud of Governor David Umahi for taking this bold decision in accordance with his conscience and principles rather than any external influence or coercion,” he said.

“Good governance is very important to us in the APC, and I’m glad that the governor has cited this as a major factor in his decision to join us. I urge our citizens to pay less emphasis on identity politics if we want our democracy to make a positive impact on our country.”

He noted that “with men like Umahi, I foresee a brighter future for our democracy because the voters will be more motivated by performance records of parties and their candidates.”