10 months ago
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The Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, has declared that he does not imagine anybody removing him as the state leader after the citizens have given him their votes in the last governorship election.
Naija News reports that Nwifuru was one of the governors whom the Supreme Court ruling on Friday favoured.
Nwifuru contested and won the March 18, 2023 election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but his victory was contested in court.
However, Supreme Court judge, Justice Tijani Abubakar, who read the lead judgment of the apex court last week Friday, held that the appeal filed by Chukwuma Odii of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is unmeritorious.
Justice Abubakar held that the appellants failed to prove their case before the trial court that the election was marred by non-compliance with relevant laws and that Nwifuru was not a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the time of the election.
The Judge affirmed the judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on November 24, which upheld the tribunal judgment that okayed Nwifuru’s election.
Speaking, however, days after the court judgement, Nwifuru said he has forgiven the governorship candidates of the PDP, Chief Ifeanyi Odii, and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof Bernard Odoh, for their attempts to undermine his victory in the election.
The Ebonyi State governor urged his supporters to also forgive the politicians.
Speaking at the State Executive Council Chamber in the Government House, Centenary City Abakaliki, upon his return from Abuja following the Supreme Court’s judgment, Nwifuru stated that he has a remaining term of seven years and six months in office.
He further pledged to provide a comprehensive account of his accomplishments as governor upon the conclusion of his tenure. Expressing concern over the lack of industries in the state, apart from politics, Nwifuru vowed to establish more industries to promote economic growth.
His words reads: “To those who fought against us, especially the unfriendly friends, may they be forgiven.
“Ebonyi people voted me into power and I don’t think anybody can remove me. No matter the conspiracy, we must definitely defeat our enemies.
“I am confident that we have the strength to take up our responsibility to rewrite the story of our dear state.
“No functional industry in Ebonyi State. The only industry in the state is politics and it will not continue to be so.
“By the special grace of God, we will be here for the next seven and half months and when we are bowing out, we will outline what we have achieved.
“You came out and voted for me and some people wanted to truncate my victory but God said no”, Tribune quoted Nwifuru saying.
We Will Continue To Support You
In a separate statement, a former Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi, has expressed his support and that of other political stakeholders in the state to Governor Nwifuru, urging the incumbent governor to continue to lead the state in the right direction.
Elechi stated that Nwifuru has withstood the complexities, provocations, and conflicts initiated by opposing factions within the state.
These factions resorted to legal battles in an attempt to dispute Nwifuru’s triumph in the gubernatorial election held in March 2023. Elechi extended his congratulations to the governor and encouraged him to persist in providing the benefits of democracy to the populace.
“You have endured all the intrigues, all the provocations, all the fights during and after the general elections.
“We will continue to support you as you lead Ebonyi to the promised land.
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“We thank you for your support for the founding fathers of the state,” Elechi told Nwifuru.
