A group under the aegis of Ebonyi Visionary Youth Movement, a socio-political organization and members of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, Ebonyi State chapter, on Thursday, rejected and condemned in totality the endorsement of Francis Nwifuru as Governor David Umahi’s successor.
The Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Nwifuru was recently endorsed by Umahi as his successor, but the endorsement has since generated a great controversy and rejection by the prominent stakeholders and members of his Party, the APC.
The group in a statement signed by the State Director and the Secretary, Barr. Joshua Raphael Itumo and Okpani Ogbonna, respectively, and made available to journalists in Abakaliki, said the endorsement of Nwifuru was wrong, condemnable and a betrayal of Governor Umahi’s earlier stance.
According to them: “We are worried over the recent wrongful endorsement being orchestrated by his Excellency Engr. David Nweze Umahi and which is inconsistent with the provisions of the constitution of our dear party, APC.
“We welcome the idea of constitution of a Zoning Committee by the party in Ebonyi and wish they hasten up the assignment to submit their report, but the situation in Ebonyi State viz-a-viz choosing candidates should be through dialogue and proper consultation.
“The governor of Ebonyi State, his Excellency Engr. David Nweze Umahi, had once said that he is neutral and has no choice of a successor and we would like him to maintain the said position.
“The recent endorsement of the embattled speaker, Hon. Ogbonna Nwifuru is not only wrong but condemnable and a betrayal of Governor Umahi’s earlier stance, capable of generating crisis in the state and causing the party the 2023 general elections,” the group said.
The APC youth group called on prominent stakeholders, youths and founding fathers of the State to resist the endorsement of Nwifuru as Umahi’s successor.
“We call on every well meaning Ebonyi Youth, particularly APC youths, to resist any form of imposition of candidates on the party, APC, as that will easily lead to total collapse of our party in Ebonyi State.
“We call on the leader of our great party, His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari to quickly intervene in Ebonyi State and call the Governor to order.
“We also call on the leadership of our party, the APC, led by His Excellency Senator Abdulahi Adamu, the National Executive Committee of APC, the State Executives of APC in Ebonyi State and others to quickly arrest the situation in Ebonyi State to forestall a possible disintegration of the party,” the group stated.
