2027: Ebonyi summit rejects automatic 2nd term, endorses Odii as alternative

……Adopts six-point development agenda, targets N150bn IGR by 2035

By David Usman 

The Ebonyi State Peoples’ Political and Economic Summit 2026 has rejected the notion of an automatic second term for an incumbent governor, declaring that the 2027 governorship election should be determined by performance, competence, integrity and credible development plans.

The summit also expressed support for the governorship ambition of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, describing him as a credible alternative capable of addressing the state’s development challenges.

The resolutions were contained in a communique signed and issued to newsmen by the publicity secretary of PDP, Darlington Onwe, at the end of the summit held on Monday, October 19, 2026, at DafoDil Resort, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

The gathering attracted representatives of political parties, political leaders, community leaders, scholars, civil society organizations, professionals, farmers, artisanal miners, youth and women groups, traders, members of the diaspora and other stakeholders.

Among those in attendance were; Patrick Ngbebu, who represented the PDP governorship candidate, the governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and the state chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP), alongside Labour Party leaders and other political stakeholders.

The summit recalled that the creation of Ebonyi State on October 1, 1996, followed a 39-year struggle marked by sacrifice and collective determination among its people from the old Abia and Enugu states.

According to the communique, the founding generation envisioned a state where no section would be marginalised and where the collective aspirations of the people would take precedence over sectional interests.

However, participants expressed concern that the state was at a crossroads, citing poverty, alleged misgovernance, deteriorating infrastructure and threats to its unity as challenges requiring urgent attention.

The summit reaffirmed its commitment to constitutional democracy and urged political parties and their candidates to conduct their activities within the framework of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, and other applicable laws.

It also noted that since the return to democratic rule on May 29, 1999, political actors from the state’s three senatorial zones had participated in contests for the governorship, stressing the importance of fairness and equal opportunity in the political process.

On the question of a second term, the summit argued that re-election should be earned through demonstrable achievements rather than treated as an entitlement attached to incumbency.

It cited Sections 179 and 180 of the Constitution, which provide the framework for gubernatorial elections and tenure, to argue that an incumbent seeking another term must secure re-election in accordance with the law.

Consequently, the stakeholders resolved that the 2027 governorship election should be decided on the basis of the candidates’ records, capacity, integrity and credible development proposals, rather than incumbency, political machinery, sectional sentiment or inducement.

The summit also condemned what it described as the politics of fear and called for an end to threats, intimidation and harassment directed at opposition figures, government critics, civil society organizations and the media.

It urged the authorities to guarantee equal protection for all political parties and candidates, insisting that a peaceful and credible electoral process was essential to the state’s democratic development.

On leadership accountability, the summit called on Ebonyi residents to scrutinise the records of those seeking public office, including incumbents and opposition candidates, based on character, competence, transparency and performance.

The communique stated that, based on the evidence presented during the deliberations, participants believed the incumbent administration had not sufficiently justified a renewal of its mandate.

It consequently identified Odii, the PDP governorship candidate, as its preferred alternative, citing his record and the need for a change in leadership.

The summit further adopted six development pathways as a minimum policy agenda for political parties and aspirants seeking the mandate of Ebonyi residents.

Under fiscal transparency and accountability, it called for timely publication of state budgets, citizens’ budgets and quarterly implementation reports, alongside the establishment of an Open Treasury Portal.

It also proposed a minimum of 70 per cent capital budget performance, the digitisation of internally generated revenue and measures to eliminate revenue collection touting.

On economic diversification, the summit advocated a productive economy that would transform agriculture into agro-industry, mineral extraction into mineral processing, and informal businesses into formal enterprises.

It proposed the establishment of three agro-processing zones, with Abakaliki specialising in rice, Afikpo in cassava and yam, and Uburu in salt production and aquaculture.

Other recommendations included revamping the Ebonyi Fertiliser Plant, establishing a State Aggregation Company to purchase and store agricultural produce and guarantee prices, and introducing a cooperative-based farm mechanisation scheme.

In the mining sector, participants called for the registration of artisanal miners into cooperatives within six months and an end to the export of unprocessed lead, zinc, salt and limestone.

They also proposed an Ebonyi Solid Minerals Development Company to facilitate public-private partnerships, with targets to establish a cement factory, a salt refinery and a lead and zinc processing plant within four years.

The summit’s human capital and business development agenda included the proposed enactment of an Ebonyi Business Enabling Law, the establishment of a one-stop business facilitation centre and the processing of land titles within 14 days.

It further recommended the elimination of multiple taxation for small and medium-sized enterprises and the annual training of 20,000 youths in processing, fabrication and information and communications technology.

Participants also stressed the need for increased investment in primary healthcare and basic education.

On infrastructure, the summit proposed the construction of 200 kilometres of critical farm-to-market roads, dedicated electricity supply for industrial clusters and expanded broadband access to support electronic governance and commerce.

As part of its long-term development blueprint, the summit unveiled an Ebonyi 2035 Vision aimed at increasing the state’s internally generated revenue from less than N20 billion to N150 billion,

reducing poverty by 50 per cent, positioning Ebonyi as Nigeria’s leading hub for processed rice and salt, and securing a place among the country’s top 10 states in the Ease of Doing Business ranking.

The summit urged political parties, politicians and interest groups to place the collective interests of Ebonyi above personal ambition, sectional considerations and political manoeuvring.

It warned that the state’s future and the welfare of generations yet unborn should not be sacrificed on the altar of political entitlement and primordial sentiments.