The Minister of Works, Sen. (Engr) David Umahi has called on Ebonyi people to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the State Governor, Rt. Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s second term bid.
Umahi who made the call during the 2025 Iri Ji Festival of OHANIVO General Assembly held on Saturday in the State, appealed to Ndigbo and all inhabitants of South East to collectively stand to be counted in the support and solidarity with the President and Ebonyi State Governor come 2027.
According to him, “Let me use the opportunity to appreciate deeply our dear President, and I’m using this medium to address the South East people, I am addressing some of those who are darkening counsel without knowledge. 
“I am addressing those who do not understand what is going on in South East. I am addressing those who have occupied social media. I’ve told them that in Ebony State, we are not obidient people. We have been so marginalised that we are no longer obidient.
“But our obedience is in the man that has given us a sense of belonging, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There is no obidient person in Ebonyi State. What we have is to return the good things President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done for South East and for Ebonyi State when the time comes.
“We will not be deceived again because the last election was a mistake, but we have come to be wiser. We want to be a part of a united Nigeria. We want to be treated fairly. We want to be counted, and the President is doing that. 
“So we’ve no reason not to support him. We’ve no reason not to support Governor Francis Nwifuru. Let me say something, if you want to struggle against Governor Nwifuru, you’ve to do it on social media because you will not come here to reap where you did not sow and nothing will stop his second term because God has already endorsed it.”
As contained in statement released by his aide, the Minister who is the Patron of OHANIVO General Assembly, thanked the Ebonyi communities for recognizing the inclusive development of the President across the six Geo-Political Zones and that of the Governor.
The Acting Governor of Ebonyi, Princess Patricia Obila who was also the Special Guest of Honour in the event praised the collective resilience, sense of solidarity of the OHANIVO communities.
She assured them of the State govt’s commitment in deepening development in all the communities of Ebonyi State. 
The Acting Governor thanked the Minister for making the country proud through compassionate delivery of transformative road infrastructure desired to boost the economy of the country.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion and CEO of Rock Results Group Nigeria Ltd, Chief (Dr) Ifeanyi Okorie called for a standing and resounding ovation in honour of the President for giving South East more prominence in the development roadmap of Nigeria.
Okorie thanked the Minister for making his people proud in all his leadership endeavours urged the OHANIVO people to continue to support the economic policies and political aspirations of the President, noting that more dividends of democracy for South East underway as the people continue to support him.
It was a speech after speech by stakeholders, and all were in agreement that Mr. President has renewed the hope of Nigerians for a united and egalitarian future through his considerations for diversity, inclusion and therefore earns their total support come 2027 Presidential election.
