Ebonyi ADC Guber Candidate, Oriji Tobias, Vows To Defeat Nwifuru As Party Conducts Congresses
By Alex Odeh, Pan Afric Reporters
The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ebonyi State, Mr. Oriji Tobias Nnabuike, has challenged Governor Francis Nwifuru of the All Progressives Congress(APC) boasting that he would defeat the Governor in the 2027 gubernatorial election.
Nnabuike, who emerged as the ADC governorship candidate through a consensus arrangement during the party’s governorship primary held in Abakaliki, said he was fully prepared to challenge the incumbent governor, despite coming from the same village in Izzi Local Government Area of the state with the Governor.
Addressing journalists shortly after his emergence, the ADC candidate said his decision to contest the governorship election was motivated by what he described as failures in key sectors of governance, including electricity supply, youth empowerment and economic development.
According to him, “I have defeated him already. We are only waiting for the swearing-in. By the grace of God, on May 29, 2027, we will occupy the Government House.”
Nnabuike described himself as a businessman, graduate and agriculturist, pledging to prioritize youth empowerment and agricultural development if elected governor. He assured Ebonyi residents that his administration would focus on improving living standards and creating opportunities for unemployed youths across the state.
The ADC candidate also dismissed concerns over his financial strength to prosecute the election, insisting that he would not have ventured into the race without adequate resources.
“If I don’t have the resources, I would not go into the race. The form was not one naira and I paid for it myself,” he stated.
Nnabuike noted that every leader has a different style of governance, but maintained that there were several areas he believed required urgent attention. He insisted that his administration would introduce fresh ideas and reforms aimed at addressing the challenges confronting the state.
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, Dr. Jennifer Adibe, described the party’s primary elections as peaceful, transparent and successful across the 171 wards of the state. She disclosed that the party had successfully produced candidates for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adibe explained that the governorship primary conducted on May 22 followed the successful completion of legislative primaries held a day earlier. According to her, the party adopted both consensus and direct primary methods depending on the number of aspirants contesting various positions.
She further dismissed concerns over insecurity during the exercise, stressing that security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), adequately monitored the process. She expressed confidence that the ADC would emerge as a strong political force capable of challenging dominant parties in the state.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Ebonyi State Primary Election Committee, Dr. Pascale Okafor, commended party members for conducting themselves peacefully throughout the exercise.
He stated that the primaries were conducted in line with the Electoral Act and described the process as orderly and rancour-free.
Similarly, the Deputy National Auditor of the ADC and Secretary of the Electoral Committee in Ebonyi State, Princess Nneka Nnebu, applauded the turnout of party officials and delegates across the state, noting that no major challenge was recorded during the conduct of the primaries.
