From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has denied any rift with his predecessor and Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, over the consensus arrangement adopted by stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for party aspirants in the forthcoming 2027 general election primaries. Nwifuru held consultative APC stakeholders’ meetings on Tuesday and Friday last week. The stakeholders reached consensus on the party’s primaries during well-attended meetings. However, Umahi advocated for direct primaries where the consensus arrangement could not work, following some dissenting voices during the meetings. This generated reactions and counter-reactions within the state chapter of the APC, heating the polity. The minister was the only APC stakeholder who did not attend the two meetings, suggesting that there was a rift between him and Nwifuru. But reacting to the speculation, the governor denied having any rift with the minister. In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by his chief press secretary, Dr Monday Uzor, Nwifuru expressed profound gratitude to the stakeholders who painstakingly participated and made valuable contributions to chart the way forward during the consultative meetings. He stated that the APC in the state remains united ahead of the primaries and the general election. “The Governor wishes to categorically state that the party remains one indivisible family where all the aspirants to various positions will be treated equally as agreed by the stakeholders,” the statement read. “That he has no rift with the immediate past governor of the state and the Hon. Minister of Works, His Excellency, Sen. David Nweze Umahi, as being speculated by those fanning the embers of discord; rather, they are working together for the progress of the party in the state.” “That all outstanding issues regarding consensus candidacy, if any, will be amicably resolved.” “That he will meet with all the aspirants.” “That stakeholders, aspirants and party faithful should close ranks and make sacrifices where needed in the interest of the party.”