The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State has responded to a leadership crisis within the opposition Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) by urging the party to focus on resolving its internal disputes rather than making political claims ahead of the 2027 elections.
The ADC recently conducted parallel state congresses that resulted in the emergence of two rival leadership factions. One faction elected Barr. Silas Onu as state chairman, while another faction chose Mrs. Jennifer Adibe Nwafor for the same position. The dual congresses, held in Abakaliki, have deepened divisions within the party and raised questions about its organisational stability.
Speaking at his faction’s congress at Preston Hotel, Barr. Silas Onu declared that the ADC, under his leadership, would challenge the ruling APC in the upcoming 2027 elections. “There is serious commotion in the camp of the opposition,” Onu said. “We shall field candidates for all positions, including the governorship. We will not only contend with them, we shall beat them.”
However, the APC in Ebonyi, through its Chairman Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha, dismissed the ADC’s ambitions as premature. In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Prince Chijioke Agwu, Okoro-Emegha advised the ADC to prioritise internal reconciliation before making electoral pronouncements.
“Ebonyi ADC should, first of all, resolve its internal crises before talking about the 2027 general elections,” Agwu said. “They should tell Ebonyi people, between Adibe Nwafor and Silas Onu, who is their authentic state chairman.” He noted that in the APC, leadership is clear and undisputed, with Chief Okoro-Emegha as the recognised state chairman.
Agwu further urged both ADC factions to channel their resources towards resolving their leadership impasse at both state and national levels, rather than focusing on the APC or future elections. “Ebonyi people are comfortable with Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru and the ruling APC, and they will prove it again with their votes in 2027,” he added.
The leadership confusion within the ADC reflects broader challenges facing opposition parties in Nigeria as they prepare for future electoral contests. Political analysts note that unresolved internal disputes could weaken the party’s credibility and electoral prospects, particularly in a state where the APC currently holds sway.
