Ebonyi leaders back zoning, endorse Nwifuru for second term in 2027
- Ebonyi political leaders met in Abakaliki and agreed Ebonyi North should keep the governorship in 2027.
- The summit endorsed Governor Francis Nwifuru to run again on the APC platform.
- The communique proposes Ebonyi Central take the seat in 2031 and Ebonyi South in 2039.
Political leaders in Ebonyi State have agreed that the governorship should stay in Ebonyi North for the 2027 election, a decision that clears the way for Governor Francis Nwifuru to seek a second term.
The resolution was reached at the Ebonyi State Leaders and Stakeholders' Political Summit held on Tuesday at the Ecumenical Centre in Abakaliki. The meeting brought together leaders from the state's three senatorial zones and all 13 local government areas.
According to The Sun, Nwifuru was endorsed by a unanimous voice vote after a motion by Onyekachi Nwebonyi, the senator representing Ebonyi North. The governor attended as Special Guest of Honour.
Those present included Sam Egwu, the state's first civilian governor; former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim; former governor Martin Elechi; and former governor David Umahi, now Minister of Works. The communique was read by Chioma Nweze and signed by Umahi, Anyim, Egwu and other leaders, The Sun reported.
What the zoning plan says
The summit, themed "Orderly and Peaceful Political Transition in Ebonyi State: The Way Forward," said the rotation has helped keep the peace since 1999. It noted that Egwu (Ebonyi North), Elechi (Ebonyi Central) and Umahi (Ebonyi South) each served two four-year terms.
Under the proposed timetable, Ebonyi North would hold the seat from 2023 to 2031, Ebonyi Central from 2031 to 2039, and Ebonyi South from 2039 to 2047. The leaders said the arrangement is meant to promote equity, fairness and peaceful coexistence, and warned against anything that could truncate it.
They also asked that public amenities be shared fairly across the zones.
The summit commended Nwifuru's People's Charter of Needs, which covers infrastructure, rural development, education, healthcare, agriculture, food security, women's empowerment and youth development.
It urged politicians, parties, security agencies, electoral officials and the media to work for peaceful and credible 2027 elections, and asked aspirants to avoid hate speech, intimidation and political violence.
For ordinary Ebonyi residents, the endorsement reduces the chance of a bitter zoning fight within the ruling party, though it does not settle who else may contest. BusinessDay reported that a group had earlier rejected an automatic second term for Nwifuru and called for a leadership change, a reminder that not everyone is on board.
What happens next
The resolutions are the summit's own; they do not bind the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) or other parties. Nwifuru would still need to win the APC ticket and then the governorship vote in 2027. The coming months will show whether other aspirants accept the zoning deal or challenge it.
