The political landscape in Ebonyi State is heating up ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with Governor Francis Nwifuru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Odii, preparing for another fierce contest after their 2023 showdown.
Governor Nwifuru, who secured a landslide victory in the APC governorship primary through an unopposed direct primary, expressed confidence that his party would retain power, insisting that victory was already assured.
Speaking after his emergence as the APC candidate, the governor declared that he was “not contesting with anyone,” urging party supporters to remain united while expressing confidence that the APC would emerge victorious in the 2027 polls.
The governor also stirred political controversy by making claims regarding the ownership of the land housing the Ebonyi PDP State Secretariat, alleging he possesses the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) and other title documents connected to the property.
The remarks triggered a sharp reaction from the PDP, which accused the governor of political intimidation and abuse of executive powers. The opposition party petitioned President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector-General of Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Security Adviser, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging a plot to revoke the title of its state secretariat.
The Ebonyi PDP, through its State Chairman, Chukwuma Igwe, vowed to resist any attempt to interfere with the party’s property, describing such a move as an assault on democracy and multiparty politics.
Meanwhile, PDP governorship candidate Chief Ifeanyi Odii, after clinching his party’s ticket, pledged to “rescue” Ebonyi State, promising transparent governance, economic growth, improved welfare for workers, and inclusive development.
Odii accused the current administration of treating the state like a “family business” and assured supporters that his administration, if elected, would usher in what he described as a new era of accountability and prosperity.
Political rhetoric further intensified during a recent APC endorsement rally for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Nwifuru, where the governor dismissed claims that the Presidency had endorsed the PDP in Ebonyi.
He reaffirmed the state’s support for President Tinubu and warned against attempts to destabilise the APC’s dominance in the state.
Backing the governor, APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda declared that there was “no vacancy” in the Ebonyi Government House, insisting the PDP would not reclaim power in the state.
With both major parties already fielding their candidates and political exchanges becoming increasingly intense, observers believe the 2027 governorship election in Ebonyi is shaping up to be one of the state’s most closely watched and fiercely contested political battles.
