Former Senator representing Ebonyi State, Emmanuel Uzor Onwe, has denied receiving or being offered N25 million by Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, to serve as a media consultant for the government.
Onwe made the clarification amid an allegation by social critic Chika Nwoba that he and six other individuals had been appointed as media consultants by Governor Nwifuru ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Nwoba had alleged that the individuals were offered N25 million as consultancy fees for the proposed assignment.
However, Onwe dismissed the claim as false, urging members of the public to disregard the allegation.
Speaking during the 2026 Ebonyi NUJ Press Week, where he served as chairman of the event, the former senator said he was neither employed by the Ebonyi State Government nor appointed as a media consultant.
He also denied receiving any payment from the state government for defending some policies of the Nwifuru administration or criticising others.
According to Onwe, his public comments on the governor’s administration were based entirely on his personal convictions.
“I am not employed by the Ebonyi State government. I have not been given or offered N25 million or any such amount at all. I do what I do on a personal impulse.”
Onwe said no government official, including Governor Nwifuru or his deputy, had instructed him to appear on radio and television stations within or outside Ebonyi State to defend the administration.
He added that he had not received any appointment letter or held discussions with the government concerning a media consultancy role.
The former senator, however, said he would continue to publicly acknowledge areas where he believes the Nwifuru administration had performed well while also speaking against policies he considers inappropriate for the state.
Onwe specifically praised the governor’s performance in the education sector, saying the administration’s investment in education deserved recognition.
He also criticised the proposed operation of a commercial airline in Ebonyi State, arguing that government resources should instead be directed towards sectors such as healthcare and education.
Onwe cited the state government’s reported sponsorship of Ebonyi students for Master’s and PhD programmes abroad as an example of an initiative he considered worthy of commendation.
He acknowledged criticisms surrounding the scholarship programme, including concerns about whether beneficiaries would return to Ebonyi State after their studies and allegations that the programme may be concentrated in a particular geographical area.
Despite these criticisms, Onwe maintained that the government’s investment in education was significant and should be recognised.
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