Governor Francis Nwifuru has endorsed the use of direct primaries by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to choose candidates for the 2027 elections, saying it is the most credible option for Nigeria’s democracy.
He said this on Thursday after voting in the APC governorship primary at his Enyanwigwe Ward 2 Polling Unit in Agbaja, Izzi LGA.
Nwifuru said the method ensures only popular candidates emerge and cuts out vote buying, imposition, and other forms of manipulation linked to delegate systems.
He likened the process to Option A4 used by Prof. Humphrey Nwosu in the Third Republic.
He said: “With this method, if you lose, you will see it, and if you win, you will also see it and be happy.
“Without this, people would say the ticket went to the highest bidder.
“That is what they usually say about delegate elections.
“With direct primaries, it is the party members who decide.
“Field the right candidate and they will deliver him.
“Impose one, and nobody will queue behind him.”
Nwifuru commended President Bola Tinubu, the APC Primary Elections Committee, and Ebonyi State Executive Committee for sticking to the party’s decision on direct primaries.
He added that the party would consult with elders, stakeholders, and those who lost in the primaries to strengthen unity, stressing that every contest produces winners and losers.
Using the occasion to review his administration’s record, the governor said his focus has been on delivering his 2023 manifesto commitments in infrastructure, health, education, and human capital development, not on media propaganda.
“This is not the time for us to dwell in the media; the time for the media is coming, and then we will tell the world what we have put in place,” he said.
Nwifuru urged Ebonyians to expect a more focused and hardworking government in the years ahead.
The primary was peaceful and recorded a large turnout across the state.
Nwifuru was confirmed as the sole candidate of the APC.
