Crisis rock Ebonyi APC as Umahi, Nwifuru clash over consensus primaries

A fresh political crisis has erupted within the Ebonyi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), following sharp disagreements between Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, and Governor Francis Nwifuru over the adoption of a consensus arrangement for elective positions.

Umahi, speaking through his media aide, faulted the move to impose consensus candidates, insisting that no aspirant should be prevented from purchasing nomination forms. He advised that consensus should only emerge through dialogue and mutual agreement among aspirants, warning that where such agreement fails, the party must resort to direct primaries.

According to the minister, there was no directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu barring aspirants from contesting, stressing that inclusiveness remains key to party unity and electoral success.

“Dialogue and negotiation should be adopted… and where consensus is not reached, then direct primaries must take place,” Umahi stated, adding that his position was driven by the need to preserve party cohesion ahead of future elections.

However, the Ebonyi APC swiftly pushed back, describing Umahi’s remarks as misleading and potentially destabilising. In a statement by Assistant Publicity Secretary Arum Kenechukwu, the party warned that encouraging aspirants to pursue ambitions outside the governor’s framework undermines party discipline and could trigger internal chaos.

The party also hinted at possible misrepresentation, suggesting that the minister’s comments may have been misconstrued by his media handlers, while cautioning against actions that could create the impression of a rift between the presidency and the state government.

Meanwhile, a pro-Umahi group, the Ebonyi Democratic Movement, defended the minister and demanded an apology from the state APC over what it described as “vulgar” remarks against him, further underscoring the deepening divisions within the party.

In response to the growing tension, Governor Nwifuru has scheduled a restricted stakeholders’ meeting to finalise outstanding positions not resolved through the consensus process.

The unfolding dispute highlights mounting internal strains within the APC at the state level, raising concerns about party unity as political alignments intensify ahead of the 2027 elections.

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