Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, on Monday, thanked Governor Francis Nwifuru for supporting his son, Osborne Umahi, to clinch the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairmanship ticket for Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Umahi made the commendation at his hometown Uburu, Ohaozara LGA, while celebrating Osborne’s victory in the APC primaries for the council, in the forthcoming polls.
The Minister noted that with Nwifuru’s endorsement and Osborne’s final emergence, the governor has proven to be the “real” first son of the Umahi family.
“I never discussed the idea of making my son chairman with him and this has become his highest form of appreciation to me.
“He has proven to be a man of integrity because it is rare for an incumbent governor to make the son of a former governor, an LGA chairman.
“Many governors will be afraid that he would leak information about their administrations or the LGA system to the former governor,” he said.
Umahi reiterated his family’s total support for the governor’s second term bid, noting that he would never regret supporting Nwifuru to replace him in 2023.
“Nwifuru remained my best bid for a successor in 2023 and he has proven that my family ties with him for over 18 years, is no fluke.
“I also thank President Bola Tinubu for his support to the Ministry of Works and Ohaozara people for supporting my son’s chairmanship endorsement,” he said.
The Deputy State Chairman of the party, Mr Alphonsus Nwali, who was the Electoral Committee Chairman for the primaries, said Umahi was the sole candidate in the exercise .
“Umahi got all the 54 votes cast by the delegates and therefore, declared winner of the primaries.
Umahi in his acceptance speech, thanked all those who ensured his victory at the primaries and pledged not to disapoint the people.
“I will embark on massive road infrastructural development, connecting farmlands and markets for easy evacuation of produce,” he said.
The minister’s relationship with Nwifuru dates to 2008 when he was the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Nwifuru an Ex–Officio.
Umahi later became the governor between 2015 to 2023 and ensured that Nwifuru became the Speaker of the House of Assembly within that period.
The minister has consistently declared that he fought “principalities and powers” to make Nwifuru succeed him as governor in 2023.
