His Excellency, Right Honourable (Dr) Francis Nwifuru, GGCEHF, FNIOB, Governor of Ebonyi State became the 4th Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Salt of the Nation following his landslide victory in the March 18 Gubernatorial election and subsequent swearing in on May 29, 2023.
Since then, the Governor has been consistent in galvanizing the unity of the State through people-oriented policies and programmes.
His detribalized disposition and burning desire to emancipate the poorest of the poor and other less privileged persons endeared him to the heart of well-meaning Ebonyians, perceived opposition alike.
A few moments after the 2023 General elections, the Ebonyi South Senatorial seat became vacant following the elevation of its former occupant, His Excellency, Engineer Dave Umahi to the position of the Honourable Minister of Works, by the President and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Amidst the anticipated Trojan fiasco over who replaces Umahi who rose to the rank of Deputy Leader of the 10th Senate before taking a bow, Governor Nwifuru sapiently interphased with critical Stakeholders of Ebonyi South and nominated a Professor of Agriculture, Professor Anthony Okorie Ani from Onicha Local Government Area to fly the flag of the party in the election without hullabaloo.
The Governor's presence at the APC's Local Government Campaign Grand finale across the Zone was greeted with audacious applause for his life-touching programmes and policies.
Professor Anthony Okorie Ani, though a virgin politician rode at the back of His Excellency, Right Honourable Francis Nwifuru's positive leadership impetus to clinch the Senatorial Mandate.
The APC candidate emerged with 46, 270 votes, defeating his closest rival, Ifeanyi Eleje of APGA who garnered 3, 513. Silas Onu of the PDP polled 2, 783 votes and Mr Linus Okorie of the LP scored 2, 710 votes in the election.
The takeaway from this exegesis is that His Excellency, Right Honourable (Dr) Francis Nwifuru is a Leader with a good heart who sees the activities of his detractors with the lens of love, otherwise, how could he have stood his ground against overtures of his friends and allies that Onicha Local Government Area which vehemently voted against him in the 2023 Governorship election should produce the Senator.
This is also because he is a firm believer in equity, justice and fairness in the business of governance.
The landslide victory of his anointed Candidate in the election is another testament to how Ebonyians love and cherish him for all he has been doing to ameliorate their plights since he assumed Office on May 29, 2024.
In the build-up to the Bye-election, political pundits saw the exercise as a moment of litmus test on the acceptability of the Governor Francis Nwifuru-led administration in the State using the Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone as a specimen.
One of the indicators of the affirmative is the gale of defections of the strong faithful of opposition political parties to the APC across during the ward and Local Government Campaign rallies ahead of the just concluded Bye-election.
Thank goodness that in the end, the APC cruised to victory signifying that the Governor Nwifuru administration as speculated by political watchers massively enjoys the support and solidarity of Ebonyi Citizens.
If Governor Nwifuru could achieve this massive victory for the Party and the State in so short a time in Office as Governor, it, therefore, holds that his second term is going to be a consensual work over.
May God help him achieve more for the good of Ebonyians, amen!
Written by Dr Boniface Nwankwo, the Special Assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor on Documentation.
February 9, 2024
