By CHARLES IWUOHA

The leadership crisis rocking the Ebonyi State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) intensified on Tuesday, as the State Chairman, Dr. Jennifer Adibe-Nwafor, and key stakeholders openly rejected what they described as moves to impose a consensus arrangement ahead of the party’s forthcoming congresses.

Addressing party members and stakeholders at the party secretariat in Abakaliki, Adibe-Nwafor expressed gratitude for the support she has continued to receive but maintained that internal democracy must not be sacrificed for political convenience.

She insisted that all interested aspirants must be given a level playing field to contest in a transparent and credible process, warning that any attempt to impose candidates could destabilise the party in the state.

“I want to thank you for standing for equity and fairness and for ensuring that our labour is not in vain. We must do what is right. We cannot accept imposition. The right thing is to allow every interested member to obtain forms and contest in a free and fair election,” she said.

The chairman noted that although the party had earlier released a timetable for its congresses, recent developments surrounding zoning and leadership arrangements had triggered tension among members.

She argued that, in the interest of justice and equity, the state chairmanship position should be zoned to Ebonyi Central, particularly as other key positions had reportedly been allocated to the North and South zones.

“In a situation where the governorship is zoned to the North and the deputy to the South, justice demands that the state chairmanship be zoned to the Central. Anything short of that undermines the principles of fairness the party stands for,” she added.

Adibe-Nwafor further clarified that her tenure, which is expected to expire on May 22, 2026, remains valid, stressing that she and her supporters are committed to working with the party’s national leadership and ongoing coalition efforts.

She reaffirmed the loyalty of the Ebonyi chapter to the national leadership, noting that the broader objective remains building a formidable platform capable of delivering democratic dividends to Nigerians.

“We are working with our leaders at the national level and in the South-East. Our goal is to build a strong platform that can deliver for Nigerians, but we must get it right from within,” she stated.

The chairman also decried what she described as the marginalisation of women in the party’s leadership structure, pointing out that only a few women currently occupy state chairmanship positions nationwide despite constitutional provisions for affirmative action.

“The party constitution provides for 35 per cent affirmative action for women, yet the reality on the ground does not reflect this. We must begin to practise what we preach,” she said.

On party administration, she raised concerns over alleged bottlenecks in membership registration, accusing some individuals of withholding the party register in the state, thereby hindering grassroots mobilisation.

“It is unacceptable that while other states have distributed party registers, Ebonyi’s remains in private custody. If we truly want the party to grow, these obstacles must be removed,” she said, urging members to intensify efforts to boost membership strength ahead of the congresses.

Also speaking, a party chieftain, Barrister Emmanuel Nwobo, backed the chairman’s stance, warning that failure to uphold fairness and inclusivity could have serious consequences for the party’s future in Ebonyi.

“I stand for justice above all else. If we do not practise democracy within our party, we cannot claim to offer it to Nigerians. Consensus must be transparent and broadly accepted, not imposed as attempted by the former governor, and his cohorts,” he said.

Nwobo cautioned against sidelining founding members and critical stakeholders, noting that such actions could weaken the party’s structure and electoral prospects. “You cannot expect people to labour for a party and then exclude them from critical decisions. That approach will only lead to disaffection and possible collapse of the party structure,” he warned.

He further emphasised the need for inclusivity within the party’s broader coalition framework, stressing that all interest groups must be carried along to ensure unity and success in future elections.

It was gathered that the crisis came to a head during an expanded stakeholders’ meeting held in Umebeh, Ezzamgbo, in Ohaukwu Local Government Area, at the residence of a former governor of the state, where the chairman and her supporters reportedly staged a walkout over alleged attempts to impose candidates.

Party sources including Charles Uzor, ADC Chairman in Onicha LGA, Benjis Otubo, Leader of Kwankwasiya Group in Ebonyi, said the development underscores growing tension within the Ebonyi ADC, as consultations continue among stakeholders to resolve the impasse and chart a unified path forward ahead of the congresses.

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