Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi, has declared that opposition parties face an uphill task against Ebonyi State Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru in the 2027 governorship election. Nwebonyi, who represents Ebonyi North Senatorial District, attributed the governor’s growing political support to projects in infrastructure and human capital development.
Speaking at his polling unit at Community Primary School, Mbeke Ishieke, after the Ebonyi State local government elections, the senator said the turnout across polling units reflected strong support for the All Progressives Congress, APC. He said he had visited about five polling units and described voter participation as encouraging. According to him, the development was evidence of the growing popularity of the ruling party across the state.
Nwebonyi said the governor’s performance had strengthened his position ahead of the election, warning prospective challengers against underestimating his political support. He described Nwifuru as a purposeful leader with a long-term vision for Ebonyi. The senator said the governor’s administration had implemented programmes designed to improve the lives of residents and leave the state in a stronger position.
He therefore described any attempt to defeat Nwifuru in 2027 as a “wild goose chase.”
The senator also praised the governor’s human capital development initiatives, particularly programmes that have enabled Ebonyi indigenes to pursue advanced and specialised education, including opportunities outside Nigeria.
Nwebonyi also praised President Bola Tinubu for federal infrastructure interventions in the South-East. He said ongoing federal road projects had given residents greater confidence in the APC and could improve economic integration across the region.
According to him, projects linking the South-East with other parts of the country would facilitate the movement of people and goods while creating opportunities for businesses. He specifically cited the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Nasarawa-Abuja highway as an important economic corridor capable of stimulating commercial activities across the connected states.
The senator commended Works Minister David Umahi for what he described as innovations in federal road construction, particularly the use of concrete pavement technology. Nwebonyi said the quality of infrastructure being delivered should be appreciated regardless of political differences.
The lawmaker also highlighted projects executed through his constituency office, including roads, scholarships, educational support, street lighting and market development.
He said more than 900 students from Ebonyi North and other areas had benefited from his scholarship initiative. Nwebonyi further disclosed plans for a regional market along the new highway corridor, saying the facility would strengthen agricultural trade and provide farmers and traders with access to wider markets.
He said the project was expected to be completed by December and would complement the area’s emerging position as a commercial and agricultural centre. The senator maintained that effective leadership should be measured by tangible improvements in citizens’ lives rather than political rhetoric.
“A leader should be ready to spend whatever comes his way, including his personal income, to help the people. That is leadership,” he said.
Nwebonyi urged Nigerians and political actors to acknowledge public officials who deliver development regardless of their political affiliations. He specifically commended President Tinubu, Umahi and Governor Nwifuru for what he described as their contributions to development. With the 2027 election approaching, the senator maintained that the governor’s record and political support had positioned him strongly for Nwifuru 2027 re-election.
