2027: Candidates Under Fire As Journalists Interrogate Manifestos in Ebonyi 

By Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki

Candidates of various political parties in Ebonyi State have been challenged to go beyond manifestos and campaign rhetoric by presenting clear, measurable and accountable plans capable of addressing the challenges confronting the people.

The call was made at the Ebonyi 2027 Elections Democratic Dialogue, organized by the Centre for Media and Dialogue Initiative, with the theme, “Beyond the Manifesto: Ebonyi 2027 Election and the People’s Interrogation of Next Leadership.”

The programme, held at Monablis Hotel, Abakaliki, brought together candidates from various political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC),

Also, Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Labour Party (LP), as well as representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), journalists and other stakeholders.

Declaring the objective of the dialogue, the Programme Director of the Centre for Media and Dialogue Initiative, Igwe Eze Chikodiri, said elections should not be reduced to contests of political parties, personalities, slogans and manifestoes.

Chikodiri said the more fundamental questions voters should ask were who was prepared to lead, what problems candidates intended to address, how their proposed solutions would be implemented and what resources would be required.

According to him, citizens must also demand to know the priorities that would guide elected leaders, how their performance would be measured and what mechanisms would be put in place to ensure accountability to the people.

He said the theme, “Beyond the Manifesto,” was deliberately chosen to encourage voters to interrogate campaign promises and demand substance, capacity and evidence from those seeking public office.

“The purpose of this Dialogue is not to promote any candidate, political party or political position. 

It is to create a credible, respectful and non-partisan space where ideas can be presented, questions can be asked, perspectives can be examined, and citizens can become better informed,” he said.

Chikodiri stressed that the initiative sought to move the electoral conversation from political promises to public policy, from slogans to substance, from personalities to capacity and from campaign rhetoric to measurable commitments.

He also emphasised the importance of an informed electorate, noting that democracy did not end with voting but required citizens to remain actively engaged in the democratic process.

He said the citizen had the right to ask questions, candidates had the right to explain their positions, while the media had a responsibility to interrogate claims and policies put forward by politicians.

At the event, candidates representing various political parties were subjected to questions by members of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi State Council, led by its chairman, Comrade Uchenna Inya, who is the Ebonyi correspondent of The Sun newspaper.

The questioning focused on the candidates’ programmes, policy priorities, capacity to deliver on their promises and their understanding of the expectations of Ebonyi voters ahead of the 2027 elections.

Also speaking at the programme, Esther Idiam of the INEC Voter Education Unit urged registered voters to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) when distribution commences, stressing that possession and collection of the cards remained important to effective participation in the electoral process.

Idiam encouraged citizens to actively participate in the electoral process and exercise their civic responsibilities during the forthcoming elections.

She, however, cautioned voters against spreading unverified information, particularly through WhatsApp and other social media platforms.

According to her, fake news, rumours and unverified claims could create unnecessary tension, trigger violence and discourage eligible citizens from participating in elections.

The INEC official therefore urged voters to verify information through credible sources before sharing it, especially as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections.

The dialogue organisers said the ultimate objective was to strengthen the quality of public debate, promote informed decision-making and encourage citizens to interrogate candidates before deciding who to support at the polls.

Chikodiri said the initiative was not intended to dictate to Ebonyi voters who to elect, but to ensure that the electorate had the opportunity to ask relevant questions before making their choices.

He said, “Before Ebonyi votes, Ebonyi must ask questions,” stressing that an election was not merely about choosing who would occupy a public office, but about deciding who would be entrusted with the hopes, resources, security and future of the people.

He urged all stakeholders to approach the 2027 electoral process with a greater sense of responsibility, saying leadership deserved more than applause and political slogans.

“It deserves questions, evidence, clarity and accountability,” he said.