He described Ebonyi as a stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and dismissed claims by opposition parties that they could win the state in the forthcoming elections.
The former governor said the APC would mobilise its supporters, including wealthy individuals, youths, women and elders, to provide the resources needed to support the party’s candidates.
“President Bola Tinubu is going to win a second tenure. Governor Francis Nwifuru is going to win a second term,” Umahi said.
He added that the party would adopt a more direct approach to campaigning, with supporters visiting residents in their homes to communicate its message.
“The style of our campaign this time is going to be very dynamic. We will knock on our fathers and mothers at 6am and deliver our campaign messages to them,” he said.
Umahi maintained that the party was targeting more than a simple electoral victory, declaring that its ambition was to secure 95 per cent support across polling units in the state.
“We are not looking for 80 per cent win, we are looking to win 95 per cent of our polling units and we will go for it, we will campaign for it and we will educate our people for it,” he said.
The minister also criticised opposition figures who have expressed confidence in their chances of winning Ebonyi in 2027, describing their claims as unrealistic.
He urged residents to support Tinubu, Nwifuru and other APC candidates, arguing that the state had benefited from projects being undertaken by the Federal Government.
Umahi cited several infrastructure projects across the South-East and neighbouring states, including road construction and bridge development, as evidence of the administration’s commitment to improving connectivity.
Among the projects he highlighted were the road linking parts of Ebonyi to neighbouring states and the proposed completion of the Oferekpe road and bridge to improve access between communities in the region.
He also referred to the Oweto Bridge project in Nasarawa State and other road developments extending into Benue, Enugu and Kogi states, saying the projects would make travel to Abuja easier for residents of Ebonyi and other parts of the South-East.
“What this means is that anywhere you are in Ebonyi State from Afikpo and other parts of the South-East, you can get to Abuja within three hours. There is nothing that is greater than that,” the minister said.
Umahi added that the government was working towards completing the Oferekpe road and bridge to improve links with neighbouring communities.
Meanwhile, the traditional ruler of Nkaliki Unuhu Achara, Eze Sunday Oketa, expressed confidence in the APC’s electoral prospects, assuring the party that the state would support its candidates in the 2027 general elections.
