Governor of Ebonyi State and leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has declared that the party will only field candidates with proven track records and public acceptance in the 2027 general elections.
The governor made the position known during the inauguration of constituency projects executed by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate and Senator representing Ebonyi North, Chief Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi, across parts of the senatorial district.
Represented by the state APC Chairman, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, Nwifuru stressed that the party would conduct a thorough assessment of aspirants’ past performance before granting tickets.
According to him, only individuals with verifiable achievements in public office would be considered, warning that the APC would not repeat past mistakes by presenting candidates without measurable impact.
“The era of rewarding non-performance is over. As we approach 2027, the party will prioritise competence, credibility and visible results. Those who have failed to justify their mandate should not expect automatic return tickets,” he said.
Nwifuru commended Senator Nwebonyi for what he described as people-oriented projects, highlighting in particular the construction of a three-bedroom bungalow for the APC Women Leader in Izzi Local Government Area, Mrs. Felicia Ogbonna.
He noted that such interventions would boost grassroots support and encourage greater participation of women in politics, urging other lawmakers to emulate the initiative.
In his remarks, Senator Nwebonyi said his projects were designed to complement the development agenda of the state government, noting that effective representation goes beyond lawmaking and oversight.
He pledged to sustain and even surpass his current level of performance if given another mandate in 2027.
Nwebonyi explained that some of the projects, including classroom blocks in community schools, were targeted at addressing the rising number of out-of-school children in the district.
“Poor learning infrastructure has been identified as a major factor driving school dropouts. These interventions are aimed at improving the learning environment and encouraging children to return to school,” he said.
Across Abakaliki, Izzi and Ebonyi local government areas, traditional rulers and community leaders lauded both the governor and the senator for what they described as tangible dividends of democracy.
They expressed satisfaction with the quality of projects delivered and pledged continued political support for Nwebonyi ahead of the next general elections.
Projects commissioned and inspected during the tour included roads, classroom blocks and street lighting installations, among others.
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