From Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki
Barring any last-minute changes, the Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru, is set to emerge the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi.
The governorship primary election of the APC is holding today at the Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium in Abakaliki.
Other aspirants in the race include the immediate past Chairman of Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Chief Elias Mbam; Labour Party candidate during the 2015 general elections, Edward Nkwegu and former Senator for Ebonyi Central, Chief Julius Ali Ucha.
However, Governor David Umahi had declared Speaker Nwifuru as his preferred aspirant to succeed him.
Daily Sun gathered that the Governor has instructed stakeholders of the party to work for the victory of Nwifuru in today’s primary election.
Nwifuru who represents Izzi West has been the Speaker of the Ebonyi Assembly since 2015.
He was among the 16 lawmakers who defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress APC with Governor David Umahi in 2020.
On the ground of the defection, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on March 8 2022, sacked the lawmakers and directed them to vacate their seats.
Nwifuru and the lawmakers however appealed the judgement, and currently await the Appeal Court’s ruling on the matter.