…Says Nwifuru Has Raised the Bar
By Abraham Ovuoba
The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Inter-Party Affairs, Chief Philip Ogbonnaya Okorie, has dismissed the chances of the opposition in the 2027 governorship election, questioning what alternative they could offer the people in the face of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s achievements.
Speaking in Abakaliki during an interview to mark Nigeria’s Democracy Day and Governor Nwifuru’s three years in office, the Commissioner specifically queried the ambition of opposition figures, insisting that the governor had set a development pace that would be difficult to rival.
“In Ebonyi, what is Anyichuks coming to do? Is he coming to change the trajectory of progress we have in the state? Is he coming to change the achievements in infrastructure, education, healthcare or the peace we enjoy today? What exactly is he coming to do?” he asked.
According to him, Governor Nwifuru has transformed the state through massive infrastructure development, human capital investment and an inclusive governance style that has united people across political divides.
He argued that the administration had embarked on extensive road construction across the state, including community roads, internal roads in Abakaliki and the maintenance of existing highways, while major bridge projects linking Ebonyi with neighbouring states were nearing completion.
The Commissioner also highlighted the construction of traditional rulers’ palaces, rehabilitation homes for victims of communal conflicts, housing projects for civil and public servants, as well as ongoing urban renewal initiatives.
On education, he described Governor Nwifuru as a trailblazer, noting that the administration had sponsored students for overseas studies, improved basic education, constructed classroom blocks and embarked on the simultaneous establishment of two state universities.
“It is not easy for a governor to build two universities at the same time. The governor has equally improved facilities at Ebonyi State University and expanded educational opportunities for our young people,” he said.
Chief Okorie King also commended the governor’s interventions in the health sector, saying hospitals had witnessed significant improvements through the recruitment of medical personnel, provision of equipment and enhanced welfare packages for health workers.
He further pointed to the lifting of the employment embargo, stressing that the administration had recruited teachers, healthcare workers and other categories of civil servants to strengthen service delivery across the state.
Describing Governor Nwifuru as “a silent achiever,” the Commissioner said the governor preferred results to publicity and had surpassed the expectations of many Ebonyi people within three years in office.
Beyond infrastructure and social services, the Commissioner attributed the prevailing peace in the state to Governor Nwifuru’s philosophy of politics without bitterness and his inclusive style of governance.
According to him, the governor has accommodated competent individuals from different political backgrounds, fostering unity and reducing political tension in the state.
“I came from another political background, yet I was appointed a commissioner. Others who came from the Labour Party and PDP are serving in government. What we have in Ebonyi today is the Ebonyi Party. What matters is your love for the state, not your political platform,” he said.
He noted that members of different political parties interact freely, attend one another’s social functions and work together as development partners for the progress of the state.
Speaking on the 2027 governorship election, the Commissioner maintained that Governor Nwifuru deserved a second term, arguing that the state should sustain its existing development trajectory.
“They don’t change a winning team. The governor has done so well, and justice, equity and our zoning arrangement demand that Ebonyi North should complete its tenure before power rotates to another zone,” he stated.
He added that Democracy Day serves as a reminder of the sacrifices of Nigeria’s founding patriots and an opportunity to recommit to democratic ideals of justice, equity, peaceful coexistence and inclusive development.
The Commissioner expressed confidence that the achievements of the Nwifuru administration and the atmosphere of peace in the state would continue to attract widespread support from the people ahead of the 2027 elections.
Recall that Chief Chukwuma Ifeanyi Odii, popularly known as Anyichuks, is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Ebonyi State, and he also contested the office on the party’s platform in 2023, where he finished second.
