ADC Ebonyi governorship crisis deepens as Ereke claims party ticket

The ADC Ebonyi governorship crisis has deepened after governorship aspirant Professor Ernest Uchenna Ereke claimed he emerged as the party’s candidate in a replacement primary.

Ereke made the claim on Thursday in Abakaliki after meeting African Democratic Congress (ADC) stakeholders and supporters from across Ebonyi State.

He said he was waiting for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish its final list of governorship candidates.

According to Ereke, the party held the replacement primary on 16 September after its former candidate, Mba Ude Collins, withdrew from the 2027 governorship race.

He said Collins formally communicated his withdrawal to the party and completed the required affidavit.

Ereke added that the ADC then informed INEC about the vacancy. The party also set up an electoral committee to conduct a new primary.

“The party at the national level wrote to INEC that we would be conducting a replacement primary,” Ereke said.

He maintained that the process produced him as the new governorship candidate.

However, the development has added another layer to the ADC Ebonyi governorship crisis, with questions now focused on which candidate will eventually appear on INEC’s final list.

Ereke said the ADC had also conducted replacement primaries for some State House of Assembly positions.

He expressed confidence that INEC would recognise his candidacy when it releases the final list later in September.

“I await the release of the final list of governorship candidates,” he said.

Ereke expects the list around 28 or 29 September. He said he believes his name will appear as the ADC’s candidate for the 2027 Ebonyi governorship election.

The ADC Ebonyi governorship crisis now places greater attention on the party’s internal processes and INEC’s eventual list.