The Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate and Senator representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District, Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi, has dismissed claims that he is violating an alleged zoning arrangement limiting senators from the district to a single four-year tenure, insisting that there is no political or constitutional basis for him to forgo a second term bid in 2027.
Nwebonyi was reacting to comments reportedly made by his opponent and senatorial candidate under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chikadoli Ojimba, who urged him to withdraw from the race on the grounds of an alleged one-term agreement in Ebonyi North Senatorial District.
Speaking with journalists in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, on Sunday, the lawmaker maintained that the purported arrangement had no binding effect, noting that former Governor of Ebonyi State and former Senator representing Ebonyi North, Senator Sam Egwu, served two terms in the Senate.
“I am not the first senator from Ebonyi North to seek a second term. Senator Sam Egwu, the first civilian governor of Ebonyi State, served two terms in the Senate representing Ebonyi North. By the grace of God, I will also serve a second term,” Nwebonyi said.
The senator declared that he had no formidable rival ahead of the 2027 senatorial election, attributing his confidence to what he described as his track record of effective representation and impactful constituency projects.
According to him, his tenure in the Senate has facilitated the attraction of over 400 kilometres of federal road projects spanning Cross River, Ebonyi, Benue and Nasarawa states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He further listed the construction of 10 kilometres of concrete roads, scholarship awards to more than 500 students, and agricultural empowerment programmes benefiting over 10,000 farmers across the district among his key achievements.
Nwebonyi said his interventions in the agricultural sector had improved livelihoods and boosted productivity among beneficiaries, adding that many participants in the empowerment schemes had grown into successful entrepreneurs and commercial-scale farmers.
The lawmaker also highlighted his growing influence at the national level, stressing that his position in the Senate leadership had enabled him to attract developmental projects and opportunities to Ebonyi North and the state in general.
Taking a swipe at some opposition candidates seeking elective offices, Nwebonyi argued that leadership should be built on experience, competence and a proven record of public service.
Drawing a comparison with the journalism profession, he noted that professional growth and experience remain indispensable prerequisites for effective leadership.
“Politics is not an avenue for making money. Those coming into politics with such expectations should reconsider. Public service is about sacrifice and service to the people,” he stated.
The senator also expressed confidence in the electoral fortunes of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections, asserting that the party remained firmly entrenched in Ebonyi State.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as increased federal attention to the South-East, particularly Ebonyi State, citing ongoing federal road projects as evidence of the administration’s commitment to the region.
Nwebonyi equally reaffirmed his support for Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, describing him as a unifying figure whose leadership had strengthened cohesion across Ebonyi State, especially within the Izzi clan.
Reacting to reports of alleged divisions among the Izzi people, the senator dismissed the claims as unfounded, insisting that the clan was more united than ever under Governor Nwifuru’s administration.
According to him, the era of political fragmentation driven by sectional interests had passed, urging political stakeholders to embrace unity and work collectively for the development of the state.
“We are united, focused and committed to the progress of Ebonyi State. The politics of division is behind us, and our people are determined to move forward together,” he said.
Nwebonyi maintained that his re-election bid would be driven by his performance in office and his commitment to delivering greater dividends of democracy to the people of Ebonyi North Senatorial District.
