Ebonyi ADC Rejects Egwu-Led Zoning, as Incumbent Backs Equity, Re-election
By Alex Odeh, Pan Afric Reporters
Ebonyi ADC, led by Dr. Mrs. Jennifer Adibe-Nwafor, opposes some party leaders’ zoning in the state, insisting positions be evenly shared across three senatorial zones.
Speaking to journalists after an extended stakeholders meeting at Dr. Sam Egwu’s Umuebe-Ezzangbo residence, ADC State Chairman Dr. Jennifer Adibe-Nwafor thanked supporters, saying she was surprised at their actions.
She commended party faithful for standing for equity and fairness, and said they believed what happened was injustice and demanded the right thing be done.
She said that in party zoning, zoning governor north and deputy south is justice, equity, and fairness, so state chairmanship should be zoned to the central.
She repeated that members felt the outcome was unjust and insisted the right thing be done.
She reiterated Ebonyi ADC members’ support for national leaders, Senator David Mark and Peter Obi, saying they joined the coalition to deliver the dividend of democracy to Nigerians.
She added, “The party in Ebonyi State supports leadership led by distinguished Senator David Mark, and we support our leader, Peter Obi, in the southeast; so we join the coalition to deliver the people and a dividend of democracy to Nigeria.”
She said the party in the state must do the right thing by resisting the conspiracy of some local party leaders.
“So if we must get it right, we must start from us. So on that note, you see what happened where the leaders zoned the state chairmanship position,” Adibe disclosed.
She stated that the party constitution allows a second tenure, adding the chairmanship should stay in the central, and affirmed the vote of confidence earlier passed on her.
“The party constitution only said that if you run for two terms as a state chairman, you won’t go again; I’ve only served one term. As the only woman among us—two women—we reiterate that the state chairman remains in the central, and we are not accepting consensus. We should go to election; anybody that wins takes,” he said.
Also speaking, party chieftain Barrister Emmanuel Ikechukwu Nwobo said the party must follow democratic tenets to win in 2027 and bring the change Nigerians want.
He stressed the need to accommodate all coalition political parties.
“We are saying that in the course of democracy, which is African Democratic Congress, democracy in parenthesis, we must be totally democratic, not partially democratic; equity means doing what ought to be done,” he said.
He said he had earlier warned former governor Dr. Sam Egwu to do the right thing so they could win, adding he cannot align with those in the state supporting Atiku, and said members of Ebonyi State support Peter Obi.
“And I told my boss, the former governor, for the first time, yes, let’s say I will challenge you. Not out of disrespect, but out of love for us to win the election: if we don’t do the right thing, we’ll lose woefully to the opposition.
“The plan going on now is to champion ATIKU’s cause, not Peter Obi’s cause. And I cannot support any group whose complete agenda is to champion ATIKU’s cause. It’s the turn of the South, and when it comes to the South, it’s the turn of the South-East,” he stated.
Onicha ADC chairman declared support for Dr. Jennifer Adibe-Nwafor’s leadership, saying one good turn deserves another.
“You will see that other political parties retained their leadership for stability. So we are saying original ADC members should not be displaced. We should be commended for taking the party this far. And we say totally no to the zoning that was done in Ezzangbo today, and that our chairman should carry on,” he said.
On behalf of the Kwankwasa group, Benjins Otubo assured the group’s support for ADC in Ebonyi State.
