2027: Governor Nwifuru, Umahi ‘Clash’ over Consensus Candidates, Direct Primary

Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki

Palpable crisis has rocked the Ebonyi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi has faulted Governor Francis Nwifuru on his “consensus arrangement” for all elective positions in the state.

Umahi, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, after the Tuesday stakeholders meeting where aspirants were anointed for their various positions, noted that no aspirant should be shut off from buying forms.

The minister advised that dialogue and negotiation should be adopted by the governor to possibly reach consensus among all aspirants, and where consensus was not reached, then direct primaries must take place.

According to Umahi, “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.

“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.

“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.

“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.”

However, the Ebonyi APC has slammed Umahi, noting that his statement was capable of misleading party faithful, inciting tension, and precipitating avoidable political crisis within the state chapter.

In a statement by the Assistant spokesman of APC, Arum Kenechukwu, the party noted that it was both surprising and unacceptable that statements credited to a leader of such stature appeared to contradict the very structure and cohesion he helped to establish.

Kenechukwu said: “Ebonyi APC stresses that urging aspirants to procure nomination forms or pursue political ambitions without the knowledge and endorsement of the governor amounts to a direct affront to party discipline and an invitation to chaos. It warns that any such guidance undermines established leadership.

“While referencing the Minister’s claim that there was no directive from the President restricting aspirants from purchasing forms, the party cautions that this must not be misconstrued as a license for indiscipline or disregard for the state leadership structure.

“The party also raises serious concerns about the intent and credibility of the publication, suggesting the possibility of misrepresentation by the Minister’s media handlers. It describes the tone and content as provocative and capable of fanning the embers of discord, particularly by creating the false impression of disunity between the President and the Governor.”

At the same time, a pro-Umahi group, Ebonyi Democratic Movement, has issued a stern warning to political hooligans fanning the embers of discord where none existed and those trying to create crisis between Umahi, and Nwifuru.

The chairman of the group, Emmanuel Igwe further urged the All Progressive Congress in the state to tender unreserved apology to the Minister of Works within 24 hours for the vulgar language used against Umahi.

Meanwhile, Nwifuru has fixed restricted stakeholders meeting to today to conclude the remaining positions which consensus has not addressed.