Umahi Urges Ebonyi Leaders to Take Charge of Political Future as Stakeholders Endorse Tinubu, Nwifuru for 2027
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has urged traditional rulers, religious leaders and political stakeholders in Ebonyi State to actively participate in politics and take responsibility for shaping the political future of the state and Nigeria.
Umahi made the call on Sunday, November 1, 2026, during a town hall meeting with Ebonyi stakeholders organised by the Directorate of Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation of the 2027 APC Presidential Campaign Council at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki.
The meeting ended with a unanimous endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, for re-election in 2027.
The gathering attracted serving and former senators, members of the State House of Assembly, former and serving government officials, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) leaders, traditional rulers, presidents-general and other prominent stakeholders.
Addressing participants, Umahi challenged traditional rulers, particularly in the Southeast, to abandon the position that traditional institutions should stay away from politics, stressing that political participation was essential to democracy, development and good governance.
He maintained that traditional rulers had a responsibility to guide their communities towards making informed political decisions, considering their roles in promoting peace and development.
According to him, religious leaders must also go beyond preaching from their pulpits and participate in conversations that determine the quality of leadership and governance.
“If the religious leaders only stay on their pulpit to tell us what we are not doing right, they are missing it. They have to be part of the foundation of our leaders. And they say that the only way for evil to thrive is for good men to keep quiet,” he said.
The minister lamented what he described as the prolonged silence of Ebonyi people on issues affecting their political interests, insisting that the state’s future depended on the decisions its people made.
“We have kept quiet so much as Ebonyi people. So, the essence of our coming is: choose you this day the path that we should follow. We are not going to express sentiments here. We are people that God has liberated,” Umahi stated.
He added that the people could not secure their rightful political and developmental interests by remaining silent.
Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (Southeast), Hon. Chioma Nweze, called on the Southeast to unite politically and vote collectively to strengthen the region’s influence in national affairs.
Nweze argued that the region’s inability to support the winning political platform had weakened its bargaining power and limited its participation in national decision-making.
She urged the people to vote as a bloc to secure more appointments and ensure that their interests were adequately represented at the centre.
The major highlight of the meeting was a motion moved by Senator Julius Ali Ucha, calling for a vote of confidence and endorsement of Tinubu and Nwifuru for another term in 2027.
Ucha urged Ebonyi voters and political leaders to support the APC and all its candidates, including those contesting for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly seats.
Seconding the motion, Senator Anthony Agbo commended Umahi for his political resilience and contributions to the development of Ebonyi State and Nigeria.
Agbo described the minister as an exceptional political figure whose achievements had brought honour to the state and demonstrated the leadership capacity of the Igbo people.
When the motion was put to a vote, Umahi called on Ebonyi residents to translate the endorsement into actual votes during the 2027 general elections.
He declared that the state would massively support Tinubu’s re-election to enable him complete his constitutionally permitted eight-year tenure, while also supporting Governor Nwifuru to serve his full eight years.
The minister further declared that the next governor should emerge from the North Senatorial District and endorsed Nwifuru for a second term.
He also linked the state’s support for Tinubu to the completion of ongoing federal projects, the initiation of additional infrastructure projects and the attraction of more political appointments to Ebonyi.
Umahi said the resolution would be taken beyond the meeting venue to communities and households across the state.
He declared: “That we will take this message from door to door, that Ebonyi State is APC and we will vote all APC candidates from top to bottom.”
The stakeholders overwhelmingly endorsed the motion amid applause and enthusiastic ovations.
