2027: Ebonyi group accuses Nwifuru of “deceiving” Ezza clan, backs PDP candidate

The Association of Ebonyi Indigenes Socio-Cultural in the Diaspora (AEISCID), has accused Governor Francis Nwifuru of “deceiving” the Ezza clan to secure support for his 2027 re-election bid, while throwing its weight behind the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate.

In a statement issued Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Abuja (AEISCID) President Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu said Nwifuru’s absence from a second-term endorsement rally organized by the Ezza Elders Council at Onueke Township Stadium was telling.

“The absence of the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru- a prime beneficiary who rather preferred to send his Deputy, Princess Patricia Obila to represent him at the occasion of his endorsement for a second term in office by the great people of Ezza Ezekuna worldwide does not only paint a dangerous negative picture of utter negligence of the great Ezza clan but also casts a strong shadow of doubt on the sincerity of his alleged avowals to handover power to the populous Ezza-Ezekuna clan after his possible second in 2031,” the statement read.

“For us, nothing would have been more reassuring for the great people of Ezza Ezekuna than a physical presence at the so-called second term endorsement rally at Onueke and a consequent public promise to handover power to an Ezza man in 2031.”

The group said it had reviewed both the Ezza Elders Council rally in Onueke, Ezza South LGA, and a separate World Press Conference by the Umuekumenyi Leaders Council in Abakaliki. The Umuekumenyi bloc, drawn from eight LGAs, had endorsed the PDP candidate for 2027.

“Following the superb and logical argument above and consequent upon the endorsement of the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP by the Umuekumenyi Leaders Council for the 2027 Governorship election in Ebonyi State, we align ourselves completely with the leaders of Ekumenyi and commend them for their erudite wisdom and daunting courage to arrive at the decision to rescue Ebonyi State from the trenches of lackluster governance and develomental backwardness which the State has been plunged into in the past three years of Governor Nwifuru’s ascension to power,” Oluchukwu stated.

AEISCID said it agreed with the Umuekumenyi leaders that “Ebonyi has been reduced to an experimental residue or trial and error programming under the current leadership of Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru – a man whom we had alerted Ebonyi people well ahead of time in the 2023 elections that he lacked the requisite capacity and competence to govern the State.

“There are therefore no surprises to keen observers that no serious business of impactful governance has taken place in Ebonyi except the looting and diversions of public funds by Nwifuru and his large corterie of expansively extended family members, ravenous aides, friends, allies and associates as alleged in several quarters,” the group claimed.

The statement singled out the Vanco flyover and tunnel project.

“The fact that the only signature project embarked upon by the Nwifuru administration- the Vanco flyover and tunnel not only remains uncompleted but literally abandoned like a pool of Bethsaida speaks volumes about how much the Nwifuru administration has abandoned the serious business of governance for mere frivolities.”

AEISCID described the administration as “purposeless, directionless and visionless,” adding that “asking for another tenure should have been a weighty request in the mouths of both the government and its illogical supporters.”

On the 2031 power shift promise to Ezza, the group said: “We wish to remind and alarm those who care to listen again like we did in 2023 that even if given another 4 years, the Nwifuru administration will still not find its governance compass as they lack the commonest capacity to make rightful decisions that could be beneficial to the rest of Ebonyi people.

“AEISCID reiterates its earlier call on the great people of Ezekuna never to be deceived by the promise that they would be handed power in 2031 after another term by Nwifuru. Not only can we argue that he lacks the requisite capacity to do so, hence he tactically dodged any opportunity to make a public pronouncement to that effect at our Onueke ancestral home during his so-called second term endorsement rally, we also can reassert that power, all over the world and since the history of Ebonyi State’s creation and the return of democracy has always been taken, and not given.

“Ezzas should therefore shine their eyes and vie to gain power like the rest of the State. They are not in any lesser than the rest of Ebonyians in every facet of life!”

The diaspora group also faulted remarks made by the governor at a recent rally in Abakaliki Township Stadium.

“Finally, we condemn the resort to threats and violence on opposition by Gov. Nwifuru made during his speech at a recent rally for the endorsement of himself and the President for a second term in office at the Abakaliki Township Stadium.

“We beckon on President Tinubu to please call his party’s loyalist to order as our people cannot be cowed by threats of violence. Democracy grants everyone the right and freedom to contest for his position and under no circumstances should the people face threats for exercising their franchise!”