The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ebonyi State has rejected reports that Professor Ernest Uchenna Ereke emerged as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 general elections.
The Ebonyi State Chairman and Secretary of the party, Dr. Jennifer Adibe and Hon. Mgboroko Chukwud, respectively, said no replacement governorship primary that produced Ereke was authorised or recognised by the state executive committee.
In a statement obtained in Abakaliki on Thursday, the party leadership reaffirmed Tobias Nnabuike Oriji as the ADC governorship candidate produced through the primary process recognised by the Adibe-Nwafor-led state structure.
Oriji had earlier been reported to have emerged as the ADC governorship candidate following a consensus arrangement during the party’s governorship primary held across the 171 wards in Ebonyi State in May.
The latest clarification followed reports circulated on social media on Wednesday claiming that Ereke emerged from a purported “replacement primary election” conducted in the state.
However, the Adibe-Nwafor-led leadership said the alleged replacement primary was not organised by the recognised ADC state executive committee and therefore should not be regarded as an official party exercise.
The party maintained that its candidate nomination process must comply with its constitution, the directives of the appropriate party organs and applicable electoral requirements.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no replacement governorship primary election producing Prof. Ernest Uchenna Ereke was authorised, conducted or recognised by the Dr Jennifer Adibe-Nwafor-led State Executive Committee of the ADC in Ebonyi State,” the statement said.
The leadership further argued that the purported exercise did not originate from the recognised state party structure and could not therefore be presented to party members, journalists or the electorate as an official ADC governorship primary.
It also cautioned that the circulation of Ereke’s name on social media platforms does not, on its own, establish the legitimacy of a party nomination.
The ADC urged journalists, political stakeholders and members of the public to verify information concerning its candidates and internal activities through official party channels before publishing or circulating such reports.
“Social media circulation does not confer legitimacy on a political primary, nor does a purported announcement automatically translate into a recognised party nomination,” the statement added.
The party also warned against what it described as the unauthorised use of its name, logo, structure and platforms, saying such actions could create confusion among voters ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It called on Ereke and individuals promoting the purported replacement primary to stop presenting the alleged nomination as an official ADC decision pending clarification or directives from the appropriate party authorities.
The Ebonyi ADC leadership said it remained committed to internal democracy, due process and transparency, as well as compliance with the party constitution and relevant electoral laws.
It advised members and supporters to rely on official communications from the recognised party leadership for updates on ADC governorship primaries, nominations and candidates.
The party consequently urged its members to disregard reports of Ereke’s purported emergence as the ADC governorship candidate in Ebonyi State and concentrate on preparations for the 2027 elections.
The development comes amid an existing leadership dispute within the Ebonyi State chapter of the ADC, where rival groups have previously made competing claims concerning the recognised state party structure.
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