Builder Francis Nwifuru is marking his three years in office as governor of Ebonyi State on May 29, 2026. As part of activities of this milestone, one of the governor's allies, Hon. Uchenna Igwe, who doubles as Ebonyi State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, in this interview, gave insights into the achievements of the Nwifuru's administration since inception. Happy reading:
Q. 1: Hon. commissioner, the Nwifuru administration is marking its 3rd year in office, how do you feel and what can you say has characterized these 3 years?
ANS: The three years of the Ebonyi People's Charter of Needs administration led by His Excellency, Builder Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, were anchored on hope, welfare and comprehensive development of Ebonyi State and her people. The administration has raised the bar of compassionate governance in Nigeria. Ebonyi people, including me, are excited that we have Builder Nwifuru, a man who grew up in Ebonyi State and understands the need of the people as our governor. In Ebonyi State, all government policies and programmes are derived from the established needs of the people. For us, the people of Ebonyi State, Nwifuru's administration represents a period of bountiful democratic harvest and we are happy.
Q. 2: As the administration prepares to commence its last lap, what would you say are the legacy achievements of the Nwifuru government?
ANS: The duration of this interview will not be sufficient to enumerate the long list of Governor Nwifuru's legacy projects in three years, but I will try within the available time and as far as I can remember: The greatest of Governor Nwifuru's legacies is that he gave Ebonyi peace by reconciling all wars in various communities of Ebonyi State. He also democratized grassroot governance to allow communities elect traditional rulers and town union executives. In the education sector, Nwifuru built the first ICT University in Nigeria in Agbaja; and as well as Ebonyi State University of Aeronautics and Aerospace Engineering at Onueke. Added to these were the 39 model schools across the State and the recruitment of over 2000 teachers. Governor Nwifuru capped his revolution of the education sector with the revival of postgraduate foreign and local scholarships with over 1000 Ebonyi students in foreign and local universities across the globe.
On infrastructure, Nwifuru's projects include the Abakaliki inland road network; 23 KM Ezillo- Ezzaegu road; the 23.5 KM Stadium - Nwofe road; the 2 KM road project in 67 rural communities amongst others. Governor Nwifuru is constructing a three story overhead bridge in the state. Governor Nwifuru paid arrears of gratuities that piled up since creation of the state, bonuses to civil servants and empowered youths to start agricultural businesses. Need I mention the total overhaul of Ebonyi health sector and the tax waivers for small scale enterprises? These are why Ebonyi is not restive and is the only State that did not experience the hunger strikes that swept across the nation.
Q. 3: The governor is seeking reelection, what are his chances?
ANS: Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has the greatest chance of re-election in Nigeria. His projects in both the state capital and the hinterlands as well as the welfare programmes are banners of re-election over his second term bid. You can see that no other political party is contesting Ebonyi governorship in 2027. What you have in other political parties are mere place-holders. Nwifuru is the only candidate.
Q. 4: If he is re-elected what new things do you think he would do, what should we really expect, or is he exhausted?
ANS: For a youthful, athletic and healthy governor like Nwifuru, it is morning yet on creation day. He is full of positive energy and there is no room for exhaustion in his life. The leopard, they say, cannot change its spots. Good governance is a way of life for my principal. Ebonyi people should expect consolidation of good governance, people centered policies, projects, massive empowerment, aggressive human capital development as well as completion of mega-projects from Governor Nwifuru in his second term.
Q. 5: Before I let you go, tell us what you have achieved in your own ministry and what you look forward to as the first term of the Nwifuru administration begins to wind down?
ANS: Well, I am proud to say that the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, over which I preside, have so far been successfully implementing the peace programme of Governor Nwifuru's administration in the communities. At the last count, we have peacefully resolved over 80 traditional stool conflicts and supervised the election and coronation of traditional rulers and town union executives in about 80 autonomous communities of Ebonyi State. In communities like Emezaka, Okpoto, Oshiri, Ameka and so on which were plagued by intense perennial intra-communal strife, the king, elders and youth of the respective communities now sit together in peace to plot communal development and progress.
The flagship royal duplex projects for 67 traditional rulers are handled by my ministry. Forty-one of the buildings have been completed while the remaining 27 have been roofed and are at different stages of finishing.
