The Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, made a heartfelt plea on Tuesday to Senator Obinna Ogba, the former gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), urging him to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Nwifuru shared his desire during his address to stakeholders of the state at the official unveiling of LEGACY FM and Television, a media project initiated by Senator Ogba, who represented the Ebonyi Central senatorial zone in the 8th and 9th National Assembly.
In Nwifuru’s words: “You should announce here, in front of all of us, that you are joining our party, the APC, to confirm what we have been seeing on social media. I do not want to be caught off guard.”
“I am hopeful that during your speeches at the event, you will make a statement to that effect,” he added.
The governor also extended his invitation to the former deputy speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Obasi Odefa, as well as two other prominent individuals—Oliver Osi and Ali Okechukwu—to join the APC.
“When you come across a good product, you have to go for it. Ogba is a valuable addition to the APC, and as the leader of the party, I fully support his decision. Those close to Ogba who may advise against joining us should reconsider their stance,” Nwifuru emphasized.
Nwifuru lauded Senator Ogba for the significant support and contributions he provided during the 2023 general elections, which ultimately led to Nwifuru’s victory and inauguration as the governor of Ebonyi State.
In response, Senator Ogba expressed his appreciation to the governor for accepting his invitation and attending the commissioning ceremony for the radio station.
“The issue of joining the APC is a story for another day. Right now, the governor is simply lobbying me to join, and that is a normal occurrence in politics. It is the duty of legislators to engage in such lobbying, and the governor himself served as the speaker for eight years,” Senator Ogba remarked.