ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Ebonyi State Government has dismissed reports of a crack in the relationship between Governor Francis Nwifuru and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, accusing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of twisting the governor’s comments for political advantage.
The government said governor Nwifuru’s remarks during the June 15 endorsement rally for President Bola Tinubu and other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in Abakaliki were deliberately taken out of context to create the false impression of a feud with the former Rivers State governor.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Ikeuwa Omebeh, insisted that the governor neither threatened Wike nor made any statement capable of causing tension between both leaders.
According to him, Nwifuru’s comments were directed at opposition figures allegedly using Wike’s name to spread misinformation and fuel political unrest in the state.
“At no point did Governor Francis Nwifuru threaten the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike,” the commissioner said.
“He merely warned individuals hiding behind the minister’s name to spread falsehoods and incite unnecessary political tension in Ebonyi State to desist from such actions.”
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Omebeh also explained the governor’s use of the word “consume” during the rally, saying it was a figurative expression intended to convey that anyone engaging in unlawful acts would face the consequences of the law if they refused to change their ways.
He stressed that Governor Nwifuru and Minister Wike enjoy a cordial relationship founded on mutual respect, dismissing claims of a disagreement as the handiwork of opposition politicians seeking relevance.
“The attempt by certain PDP factions and their supporters to manufacture a crisis where none exists is bound to fail,” he stated.
The commissioner urged the opposition to channel its energy towards resolving its internal disputes instead of spreading what he described as false narratives against the state government.
He argued that the PDP, which has continued to grapple with internal divisions, lacked the moral authority to criticise the APC-led administration in Ebonyi.
According to Omebeh, the opposition remains politically weak in the state and poses no serious challenge to the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He also warned individuals circulating false information capable of causing public unrest to be prepared to face the legal consequences of their actions.
The clarification followed public reactions to governor Nwifuru’s remarks at the APC endorsement rally, where he alleged that some political actors were claiming President Bola Tinubu had handed Ebonyi State over to Wike and his political associates.
Responding to the claim at the event, the governor dismissed the allegation and declared that Ebonyi remained firmly under the control of the APC.
He further warned that his administration would not be intimidated by those attempting to destabilise the state politically, insisting that his government possessed the capacity to respond lawfully to anyone seeking to undermine the peace and stability of Ebonyi.