… Nwifuru tips Nwebonyi, Eze, Ogah, Nwobasi as stakeholders meeting continues
From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi has called for consensus or direct primaries in the Ebonyi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the party ‘s primaries for next year’s general election, urging aspirants to embrace dialogue, unity, and party discipline.
In a message directed to the party faithful on the ongoing stakeholders meeting of the party convened by Governor Francis Nwifuru in which some of aspirants have been ‘annointed’ for the APC primaries to fly the party’s tickets, Umahi said he had consulted with President Bola Tinubu and Governor Francis Nwifuru over the development and got clarification that there was no directive from the President stopping any aspirant from purchasing nomination forms.
He opined that dialogue and negotiation should be adopted by the Governor to possibly reach consensus among all aspirants and stressed that where consensus was not reached direct primaries must take place.
“I have spoken to Mr President and our Governor and there was no instruction from Mr President that those who want to contest elections in Ebonyi State should be shut off from buying forms,” he stated.
While affirming the democratic right of aspirants, Umahi, a former Governor of the state reiterated his support for Nwifuru.
“However, in Ebonyi State, my support is to the Governor as we have adopted him as sole candidate. This is the position of Mr President nationwide and our Governor agrees with me,” Umahi said.
He stressed the importance of internal democracy and peaceful engagement among party members, encouraging the Governor to lead a process that prioritizes consensus where possible.
“Dialogue and negotiation should be adopted by the Governor as to possibly reach consensus among all aspirants, and where consensus is not reached, then direct primaries must take place,” he added.
Umahi made it clear that his political loyalty remains firmly with both the President and the Governor and not on any individual.
“I have no interest in any aspirant other than my support for governor and president. Consensus is only among aspirants supervised by the leader of the party, the governor,” he said.
Emphasizing the need for unity, the Minister noted that the strength of the APC lies in its collective effort and shared sacrifices over the years.
“This position is to keep the party we have suffered to build together and ensure that we are united to make big votes for all our candidates, especially the President and Governor. No one person can do this alone. We need one another,” Umahi concluded.
Meanwhile, some aspirants for the positions of House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate, have received the support of the party and Nwifuru to contest the party’s primaries for the general election next year.
The aspirants who included National Assembly members, House of Assembly members and others, received the support during stakeholders meeting of the party on Tuesday in Abakaliki presided by the state Governor.
The meeting was held in different locations in the capital city according to senatorial zones.
Nwifuru said the meeting was to ensure peaceful process for the party’s tickets.
Those who received the Governor’s support included Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, Chairman Senate Committee on Information and State Orientation, Kenneth Eze, member representing Ikwo/Ezza South federal constituency, Hon Chinedu Ogah and his Ezza North/South federal constituency counterpart, Joseph Nwobasi and some House of Assembly members.
Ebonyi South senatorial zone which has Professor Anthony Ani as the representative, Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo federal constituency where Nkemkanma Kama is representing, Abakaliki/Izzi federal constituency that has Emmanuel Uguru as its own representative, Afikpo/Edda federal constituency and Ebonyi/Ohaukwu federal constituency, which were stepped down during the Tuesday stakeholders meeting of the party, will be decided this Friday when final stakeholders meeting of the party will be held.
