The Ezza Ezekuna Development Association (EEDA) and transport operators across Ebonyi State have endorsed Governor Francis Nwifuru for a second term in office, citing his commitment to good governance, infrastructural development, democratic leadership, and respect for the state’s zoning arrangement.

The endorsements were made separately on Thursday during rallies held in Abakaliki, where the groups declared Nwifuru as their preferred candidate for the 2027 governorship election.

Addressing journalists, the National President of EEDA, Chief Kingsley Akam, alongside the association’s Secretary, Comrade Uchechukwu Edeh, and a member, Prof. Chike Emmanuel Onwe, said the association remained committed to the zoning formula guiding political succession in Ebonyi State.

The group maintained that the governorship position should remain in Ebonyi North Senatorial District until 2031, in line with the rotational arrangement that has allowed each of the state’s three senatorial zones to serve two terms.
According to the association, the endorsement was informed by the principles of justice, fairness, equity, and political stability.

“We align ourselves fully with the established zoning arrangement governing political succession in Ebonyi State. This is not a new position but one consistently maintained by the leaders and people of Ezza Ezekuna,” the association stated.

The group also distanced itself from an earlier endorsement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Odii, by a group known as the Umuekumenyi Leaders Council, describing the body as illegal and unrepresentative of the Ezza people.

EEDA vowed to resist any attempt to undermine the state’s power rotation arrangement, insisting that its endorsement of Governor Nwifuru was voluntary and reflected the collective position of the Ezza clan.

In a separate development, thousands of transport operators and stakeholders staged a solidarity walk through major streets of Abakaliki before converging at Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium, where they unanimously adopted Governor Nwifuru as their sole candidate for a second term.

The procession featured tricycles, motorcycles, buses, mini-trucks, and other commercial vehicles and was organised by the Ebonyi State Ministry of Transport and Special Projects.

Addressing the gathering, the Commissioner for Transport and Special Projects, Prince Emeka Collins Igboke, said the endorsement was in recognition of the governor’s achievements in the transport sector and his commitment to democratic governance.

He said the administration had strengthened internal democracy within transport unions by allowing operators to elect their leaders without government interference, while promoting peace and stability across the sector.

Igboke also highlighted key achievements of the administration, including the introduction of free transportation for civil and public servants through the People’s Charter of Needs buses, the establishment of EBOCAB, the procurement of 20 new buses for EBOTRANS, the rehabilitation of traffic lights in strategic locations, and the construction of modern bus shelters across the state.

Leaders of the various transport unions, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), the Nigeria Lorry Drivers Association, and the Ebonyi State Tricycle Riders and Owners Association, commended the governor for what they described as his transformational leadership.

They credited the administration with restoring order in the transport sector, improving security, promoting peaceful coexistence among operators, and executing major road infrastructure projects across the state.
Responding on behalf of Governor Nwifuru, the Chief of Staff, Prof. Emmanuel Echiegu, thanked the transport unions and other stakeholders for the endorsement.

He described the solidarity rally as a demonstration of the confidence reposed in the governor’s leadership and assured the gathering that the administration would continue to prioritise policies and projects aimed at improving transportation, enhancing public safety, and driving economic growth across Ebonyi State.