Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru of the All Progressives Congress, APC, his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, challenger, Ifeanyichukwuma Odii, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, candidate, Senator Paulinus Igwe Nwagu, are among 12 governorship candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the 2027 governorship election in the state.

The final list, published by INEC at its state headquarters in Abakaliki and across the 13 local government area offices on Saturday, October 10, 2026, also features candidates from several other political parties.

Among them are Mr Eze Oko Splendour of the Labour Party (LP) and Mr Ubasinachi Chimeremeze of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA).

The list also features three female governorship candidates: Nwankwo Martha Ebere of the Action People’s Party (APP), Nwinynya Juliet of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Nwodom Lucy Chinwe of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Four women also made the final list as deputy governorship candidates.

However, an examination of the list showed that no person living with a disability (PWD) was listed among the governorship and deputy governorship candidates.

Meanwhile, a total of 238 candidates have been listed to contest the 24 seats in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly.

Of this number, 210 are male candidates, while 28 are female candidates. The list also showed that no person living with a disability was among the Assembly candidates.

The political parties with candidates in the Assembly election include the APC, PDP, NDC, Social Democratic Party (SDP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Action Democratic Party (ADP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied People’s Movement (APM), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), Labour Party, APGA, APP, DLA, Action Alliance (AA) and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).

According to the published list, the distribution of candidates across the parties is as follows: AA, two; APM, 15; ADC, 24; ADP, 24; APC, 24; APGA, 13; APP, two; DLA, eight; LP, 14; NDC, 24; NNPP, 16; PDP, 24; NRM, 15; SDP, 24; PRP, three; and YPP, two.

The figures indicate that the APC, PDP, NDC and SDP have candidates contesting all 24 Assembly seats in the state.

In Abakaliki North State Constituency, nine candidates are jostling for the seat currently occupied by Hon. Victor Nwoke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the APC.

Similarly, nine candidates are contesting in Afikpo North-East State Constituency against the incumbent lawmaker, Hon. Ezeali Ukie Oluchi, also of the APC.

The contest in Ikwo South State Constituency is expected to attract attention, with 13 candidates from different political parties seeking to unseat the Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Odunwa Moses Ije, who is the APC candidate.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the list was displayed, the Head of the Department of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC in Ebonyi State, Mr Victor Oko, said the publication was carried out in line with the timetable and schedule of activities approved by the commission for the 2027 general elections.

Oko said the final list of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates was displayed at the INEC state office and the 13 local government area offices on October 10, 2026.

2027: Nwifuru, Odii, Nwagu, 9 others make INEC final list for Ebonyi governorship

The Anglican Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Bishop Geoffrey Ibeabuchi, has asked political leaders from the South East region to stop attacking the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi.

Bishop Ibeabuchi, who was speaking on Saturday during the Diocesan Men’s Conference in Ude Ofeme, Umuahia, warned that attacks on Obi and division among South East leaders could undermine the region’s political interests.

The cleric questioned what he described as a consistent pattern of hostility among some Igbo leaders towards Obi, asking what they hoped to achieve by publicly attacking him and allegedly seeking information to implicate him.

Drawing a comparison with political developments in other parts of the country, Ibeabuchi said he had not observed what he considered similar levels of public attacks on prominent political figures by Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani leaders.

The bishop also criticised the role of Igbo leaders in the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), arguing that their position contrasted with what he described as the continued freedom of other groups.

His remarks reflected concerns about political representation, regional solidarity and the treatment of groups across Nigeria.

He urged Igbo leaders who disagreed with Obi’s style of approach to governance to refrain from personal attacks and concentrate on their own responsibilities.

“If you don’t like Mr Peter Obi, please keep quiet and mind your own business,” he advised.

The Anglican bishop also challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deliver credible election results in 2027, warning the Professor Joash Amupitan-led commission to resist political interference and deliver transparent, free and fair polls.

He expressed concern over reports of potential manipulation of electoral processes, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI), and challenged INEC to address such threats through credible safeguards, transparency and institutional independence.

 2027:Stop attacking Peter Obi – Anglican Bishop cautions South East leaders