The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, has celebrated the victory of the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, describing it as a divine sovereign will and the affirmation of the overwhelming choice of the people of the state in the March 18 gubernatorial election.
The Minister, who is the immediate past governor of the state, in his congratulatory message to the governor and the All Progressives Congress (APC), expressed confidence that Nwifuru will advance the state and deliver on his promised mandate.
Umahi also congratulated the wife of the Governor, Chief (Mrs) Mary-Maudline Ogbonna Nwifuru, and the Deputy Governor of the state, Her Excellency, Princess Patricia Obila, noting that the victory was a win for all.
The statement released by the Minister partly reads: “I received with profound joy and deepest gratitude to God Almighty the heartwarming news of the victory of the Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Bldr. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, FNIOB, GGCEHF, at the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos State.”
The Former Governor of the state also expressed his gratitude to God for giving victory to the APC in the state despite purported plots by the opposition to remove Nwifuru.
News About Nigeria reports that the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos affirmed the election of Francis Nwifuru as the duly elected governor of Ebonyi State in the March 18 governorship election on Friday.
A three-member panel led by Justice Jummai Sankey, in its unanimous decision, dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Chukwuma Odii.
The panel also resolved all the five issues raised against the appellant and dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.
In its judgment, the court held that the PDP and its candidate lacked the legal right to meddle in the internal affairs of the APC and how they nominated their candidates.
