Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has officially taken his annual leave.
In his absence, the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, on Tuesday the 16th of September, 2025, confirmed that executive authority has been transferred to Her Excellency, Princess Patricia Obila.
She has since been functioning as Acting Governor, following the Governor’s letter communicating the handover of duties.
This arrangement is in line with Section 190 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
During her first major engagement in office, Acting Governor Princess Patricia Obila underscored the role of irrigation in boosting agricultural output and strengthening food security across Nigeria, West Africa, and the Sahel.
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She delivered this message at the opening of the National and Regional Hand in Hand Investment Forum on Irrigation, held in Abuja. The event was put together by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
The Acting Governor pointed out that the forum “was aimed to chart a course for enhancing agricultural productivity in Nigeria, West Africa, and the Sahel subregions.”
She praised “President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative in Agriculture,” noting its alignment with Nigeria’s rich agricultural opportunities.
Princess Obila further stressed that Governor Francis Nwifuru’s “People’s Charter of Needs Agenda” prioritises agricultural advancement. She explained that the administration is working on programmes to expand irrigation, strengthen farmer support, drive economic diversification, and create jobs.