— First Lady Nwifuru rallies women on peace, agriculture, voter registration
By Victor Nwegede
The political landscape of Ebonyi is heating up ahead of 2027 as the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi, representing Ebonyi North, pledged to build four-bedroom bungalows for APC women leaders across Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Izzi, and Ohaukwu Local Government Areas.
Nwebonyi’s announcement came during the weekend at the grand finale of the 2025 August Meeting held at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, where Ebonyi’s First Lady, Chief (Mrs) Mary Maudline Uzomaka Nwifuru, rallied women to become agents of hope, peace, and progress in their families and communities.
Mrs Nwifuru, who distributed wheelchairs to persons with disabilities (PWDs), also charged women to embrace agriculture for food sufficiency and mobilize massively for voter registration as a strategic step toward returning Governor Francis Nwifuru and credible APC candidates in 2027.
Highlighting the achievements of her BERWO Foundation, the First Lady noted that widows across the 13 LGAs had benefitted from 26 new homes, while rural women had been supported with healthcare outreaches, fistula repairs, maternal care, scholarships for their children, and empowerment packages to sustain livelihoods.
“To inspire change is not only to hold public office. It is to teach a child, mentor another woman, build a family rooted in values, and lend a helping hand to the vulnerable," he said.
Governor Nwifuru, represented by his Deputy, Princess Patricia Obila, praised his wife’s initiatives and pledged continuous government support for women across the state.
Senator Nwebonyi, aligning his pledge with the First Lady’s vision, further disclosed that the bill for special women’s seats in politics has passed first and second readings in the National Assembly — a move observers see as a boost for women’s political inclusion.
ALGON Chairman, Barr. Chinedu Uburu, and wives of former Governors, Mrs. Josephine Elechi and Mrs. Eunice Ukamaka Egwu, joined in commending Mrs Nwifuru, urging women to translate lessons from the August Meeting into stronger family values and community impact.
With the theme “Women Who Inspire Change,” the August Meeting did not just serve as a cultural showcase, but also as a political barometer — testing the strength of Ebonyi women as a force in the state’s unfolding 2027 power contest.
