Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has said he plans to engage the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, Dr Ifeanyi Odii, over the 2027 governorship election, urging him to support Governor Francis Nwifuru’s bid for a second term.
Umahi made the remarks during a stakeholders’ engagement with people from the Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo Federal Constituency at Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The minister, a former governor of Ebonyi State, said he would personally speak with Odii, whom he described as his cousin, about the political zoning arrangement in the state.
According to Umahi, Ebonyi South Senatorial District, where both he and Odii come from, should wait until the governorship rotates back to the zone.
“The zoning arrangement is turn by turn, and that is why you cannot see me quarrelling over the issue on social media.
“I know that at the right time, I will talk to Odii over the issue, and this is the right time,” Umahi said.
He maintained that the state’s governorship charter of equity remained important to him, recalling that he governed Ebonyi from 2015 to 2023 as a representative of the southern senatorial district.
Umahi said his administration recorded significant achievements before supporting Nwifuru, who is from Ebonyi North Senatorial District, to succeed him in 2023.
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“We performed marvellously during my tenure as governor, and the state was proud of the governorship from the southern district.
“At the end of my tenure, we supported our son, Governor Francis Nwifuru, from the northern senatorial district to be governor, and we should also be proud of his leadership.
“We should support Nwifuru all through, and if there is anything we need as a people, we should approach him to meet such needs,” he said.
Umahi said the charter of equity represented what he described as the integrity and commitment of Ebonyi people to fairness in the distribution of political power.
He also praised Ebonyi residents as hardworking and committed to the development of the state and Nigeria, saying infrastructure and development should remain central to political discourse.
The minister reiterated his support for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Nwifuru ahead of the 2027 general elections. Recent political engagements in the state have also seen stakeholders from Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo endorse Tinubu and Nwifuru for another term.
Umahi said the Tinubu administration had given Ebonyi State and the South-East greater attention in national affairs, citing this as a reason for his support for the President’s re-election.
“Ebonyi has declared totally for the All Progressives Congress (APC), and we will vote for its candidates during the 2027 general elections,” he said.
Odii contested the 2023 Ebonyi governorship election on the PDP platform and is again the party’s candidate for the 2027 election.
