Ambassador Ephraim Iyke Nwonu, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency in Ebonyi State, has withdrawn from the 2027 House of Representatives race and declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Nwonu, who previously supported ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, announced his decision on Saturday in Abuja. His name, however, remains on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal as the ADC candidate.
Explaining his decision, Nwonu said he had chosen to abandon his legislative ambition because of his support for Tinubu and Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru.
“I am the official ADC candidate for the Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency on the INEC portal, but I have decided to jettison and sacrifice that ambition because of my unalloyed support for Mr President and my state governor,” he said.
Nwonu said he would work with APC stakeholders in Ebonyi State and his constituency to support the re-election of Tinubu and Governor Nwifuru.
He also traced his relationship with Tinubu to 1992, when the president was a senator and Nwonu’s late political mentor, Senator Polycarp Nwite, was also in the Senate. Nwonu said Nwite subsequently appointed him secretary of the now-defunct Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) in Ebonyi State.
The politician cited federal infrastructure projects in Ebonyi and neighbouring states as part of the reasons for his decision. Among the projects he mentioned were the Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja Expressway, the Ndibe Beach Bridge and other road projects.
Nwonu also claimed that 23 Ebonyi indigenes had received federal appointments under the Tinubu administration, which he described as a significant development for the state. These claims represent Nwonu’s assessment of the administration’s record.
The development is notable ahead of the 2027 elections, as party realignments and defections continue to shape political activity across Nigeria.
Nwonu’s decision also illustrates the fluid nature of political affiliations ahead of the polls, with individual candidates reassessing their party positions and electoral ambitions as preparations for the 2027 general elections intensify.
