...Says experience, not wealth, should determine National Assembly representation
Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has announced plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to hold a mega victory rally and inauguration of the New Hope Ambassadors on June 12, 2026, declaring that the event would also serve as a formal adoption of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all candidates of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Nwifuru disclosed this while addressing party leaders and faithful during a stakeholders’ galla night after the governoship primary election in the state, where he urged members of the ruling party to remain united, vigilant and committed to the collective interest of the APC.
The governor said the June 12 event, coinciding with Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebration, would hold at the Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium Abakaliki and would witness the adoption of President Tinubu as the sole presidential candidate of the party alongside all APC candidates from the National and State House of Assembly to the governorship position.
“On June 12, being Democracy Day, we are going to hold a victory rally at the stadium and we will be adopting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as our sole candidate. We will also adopt all our candidates of the All Progressives Congress from House of Assembly to the governor,” he said.
He further disclosed that the New Hope Ambassadors would be inaugurated on the same day across the wards, describing the initiative as part of efforts to strengthen the grassroots mobilisation structure of the party.
The governor expressed confidence in the preparedness of the APC for the forthcoming elections, insisting that the party remained firmly united and strategically positioned for victory.
“We don’t have aspirants again; what we have now are candidates. It is now our collective responsibility to defend our candidates. The period of primaries is over. What we have now is a marketable machine and we must market our candidates,” Nwifuru stated.
The governor cautioned party members against falling prey to political distractions and external influences, warning that the electioneering season would attract desperate politicians seeking to destabilise the ruling party.
“This is a political period. Don’t follow whoever approaches you. A lot of people will be calling you. Some are jobless politicians trying to create confusion. Victory is assured because God has given us power and nobody can take it away from us,” he declared.
Nwifuru also dismissed the growing emphasis on financial strength in the selection of political office holders, maintaining that competence, legislative experience and understanding of parliamentary procedures were more important qualifications for effective representation at the National Assembly.
According to him, the business of lawmaking requires tested and experienced hands rather than wealthy individuals lacking knowledge of legislative operations.
“It is not all about wealth. Experience matters. Even if you are a professor, when you get to the Senate for the first time, you may not even know where your seat is until somebody directs you. The business of the House is more important than who represents you. If your representative does not understand the workings of the National Assembly, then the people are not properly represented,” he said.
The governor advised party faithful to remain steadfast and avoid intimidation from opposition forces, insisting that the APC remained stronger and more organised than its political rivals.
“We are more prepared than people think. We are not shaking. We know what we are doing and when the time comes, people will see the difference,” he added.
Speaking further, Nwifuru urged supporters to place the collective interest of Ebonyi State above personal grievances, stressing that sacrifices made by the founding fathers of the state should inspire loyalty and unity among party members.
He said the prevailing peace and political stability in the state were already attracting private investors and encouraging industrial growth, noting that government was intensifying efforts to revive moribund industries and unlock the state’s mineral resources for economic development.
The governor, however, lamented that several solid mineral deposits in Ebonyi remained underdeveloped due to licensing bottlenecks and external interests controlling mining rights in the state.
He assured that elected National Assembly members from the state would be mandated to aggressively pursue policies and legislative actions capable of protecting Ebonyi’s economic interests at the federal level.
Nwifuru reiterated his administration’s commitment to sustaining peace, economic growth and political stability in the state, while calling on APC stakeholders to continue mobilising support for the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
