Summit: No Blackmail Can undermine, discredit Nwifuru’s endorsement by Ebonyi Stakeholders — Aliuna to critics 

By Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki

The former House of Representatives candidate for Ebonyi Ohaukwu Federal Constituency, Aliuna Godwin, has declared that no amount of political blackmail or distortion of facts can undermine or discredit the endorsement of Governor Francis Nwifuru by Ebonyi stakeholders to complete his constitutionally permitted eight-year tenure.

Aliuna, who made the declaration while reacting to criticisms trailing the 2026 Ebonyi Political Stakeholders Summit, accused some political actors of attempting to misrepresent the outcome of the gathering for reasons he described as self-serving.

He maintained that the summit represented a significant effort by political leaders across party lines to promote equity, justice, fairness and political stability in Ebonyi State.

The former lawmaker hopeful insisted that attempts to discredit the meeting would not change what he described as the collective position of stakeholders who participated in the exercise.

The Nations News reports that the summit was held at the Christian Ecumenical Centre in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, with prominent political figures, former governors, serving and former lawmakers, and representatives of different political parties in attendance.

Among the prominent personalities at the gathering were former governor Sam Egwu, Minister of Works David Umahi, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim, and former Peoples Democratic Party zonal chairman Ali Adefa, Chioma Nweze- the SSA to the president on community engagement.

Other political figures reportedly in attendance included serving and former senators representing the state’s three senatorial districts, among them Onyekachi Nwebonyi, Anthony Okorie Ani, Chris Nwankwo, Anthony Agbo and Nguji Ngele.

The summit, chaired by Egwu, who was Ebonyi State’s first civilian governor, was convened against the backdrop of renewed political discussions about zoning, power rotation and the 2027 governorship election.

According to Aliuna, the decision reached at the gathering reflected a broad understanding among participating stakeholders on the need to allow Nwifuru to complete the eight-year tenure traditionally associated with previous administrations in the state.

He argued that the position was consistent with the political arrangements that have historically guided the distribution of power among the state’s constituent political blocs.

Aliuna said the zoning principle remained an important consideration in maintaining political balance and preventing unnecessary tension among communities with legitimate aspirations to govern the state.

He traced the arrangement to the political understanding established by Ebonyi’s founding fathers following the creation of the state in 1996 by the military administration of the late General Sani Abacha.

The former House of Representatives candidate maintained that the principle of zoning had helped successive political actors manage competing interests and preserve a measure of stability in the state.

He therefore urged opposition parties and other political stakeholders to consider the broader implications of the arrangement rather than allowing partisan interests to overshadow discussions about fairness and political inclusion.

Aliuna said political disagreements were normal in a democratic society but warned that deliberate misrepresentation of the summit’s proceedings could deepen divisions and undermine the efforts of leaders seeking common ground.

He called on critics to distinguish between legitimate political disagreement and what he described as attempts to discredit a gathering intended to promote dialogue among the state’s political stakeholders.

According to him, the participation of prominent figures from different political backgrounds demonstrated the importance attached to dialogue as a means of addressing sensitive questions about the state’s political future.

Aliuna further argued that the summit provided an opportunity for political leaders to reflect on the principles of justice, equity and fairness that should guide political succession and the distribution of public leadership positions.

He appealed to political actors to place the collective interest of Ebonyi State above personal ambitions, insisting that the state’s long-term peace and development should remain central to political negotiations.

The former candidate also urged stakeholders to sustain consultations across party lines and avoid inflammatory rhetoric capable of escalating political disagreements ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He maintained that the summit’s significance should be assessed through the issues discussed and the resolutions adopted by its participants, rather than through competing interpretations of its political implications.

Aliuna concluded by urging Ebonyi’s political leaders, party faithful and residents to support constructive dialogue and respect the principles of equity, justice and fairness, while allowing democratic processes to determine the state’s political future.