2027: Nwifuru Assures Tinubu of 80% Votes, Seeks 330KV Power Line, Railway For Ebonyi
By Emmanuel Agbo, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has assured President Bola Tinubu of over 80 per cent of the state’s votes in the 2027 general elections, pledging to ensure the victory of other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates.
Nwifuru gave the assurance on Monday during the official flag-off of the APC presidential campaign at Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium, Abakaliki, the state capital.
The governor commended Tinubu for his administration’s infrastructural investments and other development interventions in Ebonyi, describing his support for the President as a product of conviction, appreciation and an assessment of his performance rather than mere political sentiments.
However, he appealed to the President to intervene in addressing the state’s electricity challenges, identifying the absence of a 330KV transmission line as a major obstacle to his administration’s industrialisation agenda.
According to Nwifuru, Ebonyi remains the only state in the country without the required 330KV transmission infrastructure, a situation he said had continued to undermine efforts to attract industries and stimulate economic growth.
He urged the Federal Government to either provide funding for the project or take over its execution, proposing that the transmission line should extend from Ugwuaji in Enugu State to Ebonyi.
The governor disclosed that the state government had provided land for the project since 2013, following an earlier commitment by the Federal Government to undertake its construction.
Nwifuru also appealed for the construction of a railway line connecting Abakaliki with other South-East states, noting that the design for the project had been completed and was awaiting implementation.
He said the railway project, when completed, would boost transportation, trade and economic integration across the South-East and the country at large.
In his remarks, President Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, urged the people of Ebonyi State to support his re-election bid and other APC candidates in the 2027 general elections to enable his administration to consolidate its achievements.
The President said his administration had demonstrated commitment to Ebonyi through investments in road infrastructure, education, agriculture and economic empowerment programmes.
He listed major federal infrastructure projects in the state to include the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Nasarawa-Abuja Superhighway, a proposed bridge linking Ebonyi and Cross River states, and the Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja Expressway.
Tinubu described the visit as an opportunity not only to seek votes but also to account for his administration’s stewardship and request another mandate from Nigerians.
He further disclosed that funds had been earmarked for renewable energy projects at eight locations across Ebonyi State to improve electricity supply to households and businesses.
The President also announced that the Federal Government had commenced construction of the Renewed Hope Housing Estate, while continuing to support students and tertiary institutions through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).
He identified the establishment of the South-East Development Commission, the launch of the South-East Vision 2050 and the approval of the South-East Investment Company as further evidence of his administration’s commitment to the development of the region.
Earlier, the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, represented by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South), Dr Benjamin Nwoye, urged Ebonyi residents to sustain their support for the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, called for political unity in the South-East and expressed confidence that the APC would secure 1.3 million votes in Ebonyi State in the 2027 general elections.
Other speakers, including Imo State Governor and Secretary of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Hope Uzodimma; Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah; and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, urged party faithful to take the Renewed Hope message to communities and households across the region.
They described President Tinubu’s re-election bid as a project that required collective commitment and grassroots mobilisation.
