By Jeff Agbodo, Abakaliki
The member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Chinedu Ogah, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider the exclusion of Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, from the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general election.
Ogah, an APC chieftain, said Nwifuru deserved a prominent role in the campaign structure because of his commitment to the party, efforts to strengthen its structure in Ebonyi and contribution to peace and unity within the party.
The APC Presidential Campaign Council includes prominent political figures from the South-East. Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, is the Secretary, while former Ebonyi State Governor and Minister of Works, David Umahi, is Deputy Director-General in charge of Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation.
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, is also the South-East Zonal Campaign Coordinator, while Senator Uche Ekwunife is listed as South-East Zonal Director for Election Planning, Coordination and Mobilisation.
Ogah, however, noted that Nwifuru, despite being the serving governor of Ebonyi, was not among the principal members of the campaign council.
He said the omission could send the wrong political signal to the people of Ebonyi, particularly the Abakaliki bloc, which he described as a major political constituency in the state.
According to him, a significant proportion of Ebonyi’s votes comes from the eight local government areas that make up the Abakaliki bloc, which, he said, could not be overlooked ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“I started the Tinubu Support Group. I am speaking as an APC member from Ebonyi State. I have served this party just like Governor Nwifuru,” Ogah said.
The lawmaker recalled that he began the Tinubu support movement in 2017, stressing that his commitment to the President’s political project predated the 2023 general election.
He also noted that he was the first APC member to win a House of Representatives seat in Ebonyi when the state was still controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ogah said the APC’s electoral strength in Ebonyi should not be taken for granted, particularly as Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo are currently the three APC-controlled states in the South-East.
He questioned why Nwifuru should be excluded when the governors of Enugu and Imo had been assigned prominent roles in the presidential campaign structure.
“When the other two governors were included, why is Ebonyi not included? That election is about the people that are popular. It is the people that will give out votes. Abakaliki bloc cannot be neglected in the presidential list,” he said.
The lawmaker said Nwifuru’s inclusion was necessary to ensure that the people of Ebonyi felt carried along in Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
“The President should not listen to whatever anybody can come to give him as a frivolous story. It is not a threat. But if the governor is not included, people will not be happy,” he said.
Ogah warned political stakeholders against underestimating the importance of Nwifuru’s support ahead of the election, insisting that grassroots structures remained critical to electoral success.
“People will not be happy during voting if their governor is not carried along. I want to inform the President that 99 per cent of Ebonyians and the masses are with Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru,” he said.
He described the governor’s omission as an error that should be corrected immediately.
“I see it as a mistake for not including his name. But that error has to be corrected immediately,” Ogah said.
The lawmaker also commended Nwifuru for what he described as his efforts to restore peace and unity within the Ebonyi APC, noting that the governor’s consultations with party stakeholders had helped reduce internal divisions and strengthen cohesion.
Ogah urged Tinubu to disregard what he described as frivolous and unfounded claims against Nwifuru, saying such distractions should not be allowed to undermine the unity of the APC in Ebonyi.
He also praised the governor’s administration for its development efforts across the state, saying Nwifuru’s performance and grassroots acceptance should make him an important partner in the President’s 2027 campaign.
“Election is not won on Facebook,” Ogah said, urging the Presidency to pay attention to political realities and support structures on the ground rather than relying on social media narratives.
He maintained that carrying Nwifuru along would strengthen the APC’s campaign in Ebonyi and reinforce the party’s position in the South-East.
Ogah therefore called on Tinubu and the APC national leadership to correct the omission and include Nwifuru in the presidential campaign structure, saying his participation would help consolidate party unity, strengthen grassroots mobilisation and improve the party’s chances in the 2027 general election.
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