From Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki
Governor David Umahi has declared his full backing to the Umuekumenyi people on their adoption of the APC gubernatorial candidate, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru as their preferred candidate for the 2023 governorship polls in Ebonyi State.
Umuekuenyi is a coalition of the people of the Ezza Ezekuna, Izhi Nnodo, Ikwo Noyo, Ngbo-le-Izha, Agba-Ezekeoma, and Ishielu among other Abakaiki-speaking clans in Ebonyi State and beyond.
The brotherly clans are controlling eight local government areas including Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Ezza North, Ezza South, Ikwo, Ishielu and Ohaukwu.
The people also have a significant number of their population occupying different communities in the remaining five council areas in the Southern part of Ebonyi state.
They held at the weekend a 2-million man march in Abakaliki to appreciate Governor David Umahi's leadership for having thrown its weight behind the principle of power rotation in the state, especially on the gubernatorial position.
Addressing the Umuekumaenyi in Abakaliki, Governor Umahi said he was overwhelmed by their massive turnout and expressed confidence that the APC candidates would be returned victorious at the 2023 polls in the state.
Umahi represented by the State Chairman of the APC, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, said that the 2 million march has shown his party would win the governorship position and stressed, "even the opposition understands and, therefore, nobody will take us to relegation," come 2023 polls.
On his part, the Majority Leader of Ebonyi State House of Assembly and a member of the Umuekumenyi Youth Assembly, Chief Victor Chukwu described the year 2023 as a payback period for Ebonyi North Senatorial District.
Chukwu who is an illustrious son of the Ezza Nation called on Ebonyians from other zones to give their support to the candidature of Rt Hon Ogbonna Nwifuru, to be the governor of the state, saying that equity demands that Ebonyi North should produce the next Governor of the state.
"I wish to seize this opportunity to appeal to candidates that are not from Ebonyi North to save us from the crisis.
"Recall that in 2015, the then-sitting Governor chose somebody who's an Izzi person but the people rejected him because they knew that it was not their turn. He lost in Abakaliki, Izzi and Ebonyi Local Government Areas even when he was their son but the people did not support him because they knew it was not their turn.
"This was to show integrity and character, we are not going to take such sacrifice for granted now that it's their turn and that we'll show this at the booth," he stressed
Earlier, the President of Umuekumaenyi Youth Assembly, Hon Uche Ali Ega appreciated members of the forum for turning out en mass to show solidarity with the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.
"The success of our road walk has made the pronouncement that in 2023, Umuekumenyi is on the ground and is ready to ensure that what belongs to them is not traded for a party gift.
"We wish to encourage other sister zones, clans and blocs to support Umuekumenyi because Umuekumenyi has supported others willingly not minding our electoral strength, and population because we have always believed in the charter of equity," he said.
