Ahead of the 2027 general elections, opposition leaders in Ebonyi State on the platforms of the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Young Peoples Party, a faction of the All Progressives Congress, among others, have teamed up to support the African Democratic Congress.
At their Inaugural Coalition Stakeholders meeting in Abakaliki on Sunday, the opposition leaders and their stakeholders vowed to take the reins of government in the state come 2027.
Addressing the gathering at the meeting, the 2023 senatorial candidate of the Labour Party for Ebonyi South zone, Chief Linus Okorie, expressed optimism that the ADC will rule Nigeria from 2027.
He said the party was out to fight for the betterment of Nigerians through democratic tendencies and processes.
According to him, the leaders of the opposition parties came together to form a common front to work with Nigerians on how best to actualise what they wanted.
“We are out to fight for betterment of Nigeria through democracy. We are not converging to step on anybody’s toe, to castigate anybody, or to attack anybody.
“We are here to talk about how to come together and work with Nigerians on how to do and achieve that which they want.
“We are the Coalition leaders who came from Abuja, Lagos, other parts of the ccountry, and even those in Abakaliki here, and we can’t do it alone. We have to come and inform you, seek your opinion, and show you the guidelines.
“ADC will rule Nigeria by the grace of God and by the support of everyone. And that is true, it is not by abuse, it is not by attack, it is by content of ideas and then superior application of intellect and of course, the mission and vision, which our manifesto will show, and we will implement it.
“A day would be set aside to unveil ADC in the state, and we urge stakeholders of the party to continue to work hard for the party to ensure its success in the 2027 general election.”
Speaking earlier at the meeting, the Chairman of ADC in the state, Mrs. Jenifer Adibe, said her party was recording mass movement with residents because of its principles of inclusivity.
“The ADC is accountable. We are committed to transparency and good governance.
“We will make sure that we have a good number of supporters in the state. ADC in Ebonyi State will deliver at least 3 million votes in 2027 general elections, and we are ready to do it,” she said.
On his part, a former Chairman of PDP in the state, Chief Silas Onu, said the time was ripe for Ebonyians to decide who governed them and how they would be governed in 2027.
He urged the people to remain resolute even in the midst of the seeming political witch-hunt and intimidation, adding that the Coalition purveyors were ready to constructively criticise the programs and policies of the ruling party in the state.
Others who attended the meeting were a former Minister of State for Health, Chief Fidelis NNwankwo, who was a governorship aspirant of the LP in t023; the governorship candidate of the YPP, Chief Sunday Opoke; a former Deputy National Secretary of APGA, Chief Jerry Obasi; a governorship aspirant of the PDP in 2019 and a current factional leader of the APC in Ebonyi State, Chief Haroun Ajah; and others.
PUNCH Online reported earlier that the 2023 House of Representatives candidate for Abakaliki Federal Constituency, Dr Ezeh Eze, and the Ebonyi government disagreed over the former’s rejection of appointment by Governor Francis Nwifuru as a member of the Ebonyi State Economic Advisory Committee.
He rejected the appointment, citing the wrong timing of the constitution of the Committee.
This development came on the heels of the defection of a former Chairman of the PDP in the state, Barr Silas Onu, to ADC.
