By Amara Ehia, Abakaliki
The battle for the 2027 Ebonyi North Senatorial seat intensified weekend as the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chikodiri Ojimba, and the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, engaged in a fierce war of words over an alleged power rotation agreement in the district.
While Ojimba accused the senator of attempting to breach a long-standing arrangement that limits senators from the zone to a single term, Nwebonyi dismissed the claim as baseless and challenged his opponent to produce any document backing such an agreement.
Speaking with journalists in Abakaliki, Ojimba insisted that political stakeholders in Ebonyi North had, since 1999, operated an understanding that power would rotate among the four local government areas of the district—Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Ohaukwu and Izzi—with each senator serving only one term.
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He alleged that Nwebonyi, who is seeking re-election in 2027, was fully aware of the arrangement but had chosen to disregard it for personal political interest.
Ojimba further accused the senator of underperforming in office and claimed that he had become unsettled by growing support for his APGA candidacy ahead of the election.
According to him, the controversy began when former Governor Sam Egwu returned to the Senate for a second term, a development he said altered the established political order in the district.
“It is my turn to serve my people. Nobody should be afraid of a contest, but leaders must respect agreements that guarantee fairness, equity and inclusion. Senator Nwebonyi knows about this arrangement and should honourably withdraw from the race,” Ojimba said.
He maintained that all major stakeholders in the zone, including Governor Francis Nwifuru, were aware of the agreement, warning that abandoning it could create political tension in the district.
However, Nwebonyi fired back, declaring that he remained the overwhelming favourite in the race and had no challenger capable of matching his record in office.
The senator described Ojimba’s claims as political propaganda and challenged him to make public any written agreement restricting senators to a single term.
“I am not the first senator from Ebonyi North to seek a second term. Senator Sam Egwu served two terms and, by the grace of God, I will also serve a second term,” he said.
Nwebonyi reeled out what he described as landmark achievements, including the attraction of federal road projects, scholarships for over 500 students, and empowerment programmes for thousands of farmers across the district.
He argued that his performance had brought unprecedented federal presence to Ebonyi North and positioned him ahead of any potential rival in the contest.
The senator also took a swipe at Ojimba’s political credentials, insisting that legislative representation requires experience and proven leadership capacity.
The exchange marks the opening salvo in what is expected to be a keenly contested battle for the Ebonyi North Senatorial seat, with both politicians expressing confidence of victory ahead of the 2027 general elections.
