The Association of Ebonyi Indigenes Socio-Cultural in the Diaspora (AEISCID) has accused Governor Francis Nwifuru of allegedly misleading the Ezza clan in the build-up to his 2027 re-election ambition, while openly declaring support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Abuja, the group’s president, Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu, said the governor’s absence from a second-term endorsement event organised by the Ezza Elders Council at Onueke Township Stadium raised questions about his commitment to promises allegedly made to the community.
Oluchukwu said the governor’s decision to delegate his deputy, Princess Patricia Obila, to represent him at the gathering sent “a troubling signal” regarding his relationship with the Ezza people and his reported pledge concerning power rotation in 2031.
According to him, “The absence of the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru… paints a negative picture of negligence towards the Ezza clan and casts doubt on the sincerity of his avowed commitment to hand over power in 2031.”
He added that a direct appearance at the rally would have provided stronger reassurance to the Ezza political bloc regarding the alleged succession understanding.
The group also referenced a separate political gathering by the Umuekumenyi Leaders Council in Abakaliki, which reportedly endorsed the PDP candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
AEISCID said it aligned with the position of the Umuekumenyi leaders, praising their “courage” in what it described as a decision aimed at addressing governance challenges in the state.
The statement further criticised the current administration, alleging poor performance and mismanagement since its inauguration.
It described the state’s governance trajectory as one marked by “policy inconsistency and developmental stagnation,” while accusing the administration of surrounding itself with a wide circle of loyalists and associates allegedly benefiting from public resources.
The group also questioned the status of the Vanco flyover and tunnel project, describing it as the administration’s only major signature project that remains incomplete and underwhelming.
“The project has become symbolic of abandonment and lack of focus,” the statement read.
AEISCID went further to dismiss the administration as lacking direction, arguing that the push for another term was unjustified in light of current governance outcomes.
On the alleged promise of a power shift to Ezza in 2031, the group urged caution, insisting that political assurances should not be relied upon without concrete guarantees.
It maintained that political power “is earned through strategy and mobilisation, not handed down through informal assurances.”
The diaspora organisation also criticised remarks attributed to the governor at a recent political rally in Abakaliki, where he reportedly warned opposition figures.
It warned against what it described as attempts to intimidate dissenting voices, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure political tolerance within the ruling party’s ranks.
According to the group, democracy must guarantee freedom of participation without fear of reprisal, adding that electoral contest should not be accompanied by threats or coercion.
0 Comments