Ebonyi State Governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has described his nomination for The Sun Governor of the Year Award 2026 as a motivation and challenge to intensify efforts towards delivering purposeful leadership and sustainable development to the people of the state.
Nwifuru made this known on Tuesday while receiving a nomination letter from the management of The Sun Publishing Company Limited at his office in Centenary City, Abakaliki, the state capital.
The governor expressed delight at the recognition, describing it as a pleasant surprise and an endorsement of his administration’s efforts to transform Ebonyi State through people-oriented policies and projects.
He said the recognition had further strengthened his resolve to do more for the state, noting that the honour came with greater responsibility to justify the confidence reposed in his administration.
“I am particularly happy about this prestigious award by The Sun Newspaper. I feel very challenged because I did not expect that what we are doing would attract the attention of this newspaper.
“This award is a great challenge, and I am very excited about it because it reminds me that I still need to do more for this great state.
“We do not doubt your assessment in giving us this recognition. It highlights what we have done and what we are doing to take our dear state to greater heights. We will do more to justify this honour,” the governor said.
Highlighting some of his administration’s achievements, Nwifuru disclosed that each of the 13 local government areas of the state had benefited from at least 25 kilometres of road construction, alongside the mandatory two-kilometre road projects awarded across the local government areas.
He also spoke about the development of two specialised universities, revealing that the University of Information and Communication Technology, Oferekpe, was nearing completion, with 23 buildings reportedly valued at N2 billion each.
According to him, the proposed Aeronautical and Aerospace University at Onueke comprises 17 buildings, also valued at N2 billion each.
The governor further disclosed that 315 beneficiaries of his administration’s overseas scholarship programme had completed their master’s degree programmes and commenced their PhD studies.
He stressed that the beneficiaries were selected strictly on merit, irrespective of family connections or personal affiliations, adding that none of them belonged to the Nwifuru family.
Nwifuru described The Sun Newspaper as one of the leading newspapers in Nigeria, noting that he reads the publication regularly.
Presenting the nomination letter, the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Publishing Company Limited, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh, said the governor’s selection followed extensive deliberations by the newspaper’s Board of Editors and was based on merit.
Ukeh explained that since assuming office in 2023, Nwifuru had demonstrated a commitment to investing in the people through his People’s Charter of Needs development agenda.
He listed education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, human capital development, housing, water resources, youth empowerment, security, aviation, rural development, commerce and industry among the sectors in which the administration had made significant interventions.
According to him, the governor’s emphasis on human capital development, particularly through overseas scholarships and the recruitment of qualified personnel into the civil service, reflects a long-term commitment to building strong institutions and preparing Ebonyi for the demands of a modern economy.
“Without blowing your trumpet, you have distinguished yourself from your contemporaries in education, health, agriculture, infrastructure, human capital development, housing, water resources, youth development, respect for the rule of law, prudent management of resources, diaspora engagement, aviation, respect for the autonomy of the local government system, relative peace across the communities, skills acquisition, transportation, commerce and industry, power, rural development, security, as well as trade and investment,” Ukeh said.
He added that the governor understood that sustainable development depended on functional institutions, a competent workforce and a well-trained generation capable of driving innovation and economic growth.
Ukeh noted that the overseas scholarship programme had produced beneficiaries in critical fields, including medicine, engineering, agriculture, renewable energy, data science, education and public administration.
He said the initiative was informed by the need to equip Ebonyi indigenes with the knowledge and expertise required to improve healthcare delivery, advance technological innovation, strengthen education and accelerate industrialisation.
The Sun managing director also highlighted the recruitment of 2,000 teachers for basic education, 100 judicial officers and 1,700 personnel across state ministries, departments and agencies by the Nwifuru administration since 2023.
He added that medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and laboratory scientists, had also been recruited, while eligible public servants had received promotions.
On infrastructure and social welfare, Ukeh cited the establishment of the University of ICT at Oferekpe, which commenced operations in March 2026, and the ongoing process of establishing the Aeronautical and Aerospace University at Onueke.
He also mentioned the construction of access roads to traditional rulers’ palaces across the state and the provision of 300 three-bedroom bungalows for the resettlement of victims of communal conflicts in Amaeze and Izzo autonomous communities in Ishielu Local Government Area.
The housing project, according to him, includes internal roads, water facilities and solar-powered streetlights.
Ukeh further commended the governor for clearing outstanding gratuities and pensions owed to retired state civil servants from 2015, as well as extending similar interventions to retired personnel of the local government system dating back to the creation of the state in 1996.
He said the various initiatives informed the Board of Editors’ decision to select Nwifuru for the award.
“It is in recognition of these and many more impactful achievements Ebonyi State has recorded under your leadership that The Sun Board of Editors chose you as winner of The Sun Governor of the Year Award 2026,” he stated.
Ukeh explained that The Sun Governor of the Year Award recognises a state chief executive whose leadership has brought significant transformation to the state and improved the welfare of its people.
He announced that the formal presentation of the award would take place at the 2026 Sun Awards ceremony scheduled for Friday, November 13, at the Expo Convention Centre, Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, beginning at 7 p.m.
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