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The Ebonyi State Government has dismissed claims of a rift between Governor Francis Nwifuru and Minister Nyesom Wike, accusing the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of deliberately twisting the governor’s remarks to create discord between the two leaders.
The government alleged that two factions of the PDP were attempting to score cheap political points by misrepresenting a statement made by Governor Nwifuru during a grand endorsement rally for President Bola Tinubu and other APC candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The event was held on June 15 at the Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium in Abakaliki.
The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Ikeuwa Omebeh, made the clarification in a statement issued on Tuesday, insisting that Governor Nwifuru never threatened the FCT Minister.
“At no time did His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru, issue any threat against the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike.”
In his speech at the event, the Governor only cautioned some opposition elements who are fanning the embers of crisis in the state and spreading fake news and propaganda in the name of Barr. Nyesom Wike to desist from such acts.
Clarifying the governor’s choice of words, the commissioner explained that the term “consume,” used during the rally, was a metaphorical expression indicating that individuals operating outside the law would face its full consequences if they failed to retrace their steps.
He stressed that Governor Nwifuru and Minister Wike maintain a relationship built on deep mutual respect, making any attempt by “PDP factions and paid media hirelings” to manufacture a rift between them futile.
Turning to the opposition’s internal challenges, Omebeh advised the PDP to focus on resolving its lingering crises rather than criticising the current administration.
“A party that has been unable to resolve its internal crisis for years lacks the moral rectitude to comment on governance issues,” he said.
He added that the two PDP factions were “almost non-existent” in Ebonyi State and posed no threat to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
Reaffirming public support for the current administration, Omebeh warned that opposition elements seeking relevance through fake news and propaganda should be prepared to face legal consequences.
He concluded that any attempt to create an imaginary misunderstanding between Nwifuru and Wike “will fail like a pack of cards.”
The clarification followed reactions to remarks made by Governor Nwifuru at the endorsement rally, where he alleged that some unnamed allies of Wike had been claiming that President Tinubu had handed over Ebonyi State to the FCT Minister and his faction of the PDP.
“Some people are going around and saying that they discussed with President Tinubu and that the president has given Ebonyi to PDP,” the governor said.
“They said Nyesom Wike is their leader and that Wike said the president has given Ebonyi to him. And we say to them, ‘eeyaah!’” the governor said.
“Eeyaah” is an exclamatory expression that translates to “what a pity.”
Nwifuru vowed to resist any such move, insisting that Ebonyi was not for sale.
“Now, I want to sound this way as your governor: We are not afraid. We only hold ourselves because our people are with us,” the governor said.
“Nobody should push us because we have all it takes to consume whoever is trying us; we have all it takes to destroy whoever is trying us,” he said.
Continuing, the governor added: “We’re sending a message to them directly or indirectly that we’re members of the All Progressives Congress and that’s where Ebonyi people belong.”
“And whoever is trying our resolve, the outcome will be very funny for him,” he said.
”We are not afraid. We only hold ourselves because our people are with us.”
The commissioner for information and state orientation, Ikeuwa Omebeh, has been in the news lately for defending Governor Nwifuru's remarks. He is the fourth commissioner for information and state orientation since Governor Nwifuru took office in 2023. The Ebonyi State government has been at odds with the opposition PDP over several issues, including the handling of the 2023 governorship election. The PDP has been alleging that the APC government is involved in vote-buying, intimidation, and other electoral malpractices.
The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Ikeuwa Omebeh, was born in 1975 in Afikpo South LGA of Ebonyi State. He studied Mass Communications at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He worked as a journalist before joining the Ebonyi State government in 2015. He has been a strong supporter of Governor Nwifuru throughout his tenure. The Ebonyi State government has been at odds with the opposition PDP over several issues, including the handling of the 2023 governorship election.
The Ebonyi State government has a lot of support from the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu. Tinubu has been a strong supporter of the APC government in Ebonyi State. The government has been at odds with the opposition PDP over several issues, including the handling of the 2023 governorship election. The PDP has been alleging that the APC government is involved in vote-buying, intimidation, and other electoral malpractices.
The Ebonyi State government has a lot of supporters who back the APC government. They see the government as more effective in delivering results than the opposition PDP. The Ebonyi State government has been at odds with the opposition PDP over several issues, including the handling of the 2023 governorship election.
Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister, was a strong supporter of Governor Nwifuru until recently. However, things have taken a turn for the worse between them. The Ebonyi State government has been at odds with the opposition PDP over several issues, including the handling of the 2023 governorship election.