By Nkechinyere Ewa
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ebonyi State has conducted a substitution primary election for the Ebonyi South Senatorial District, with Idenyi Prince Gamax emerging as the party’s candidate for the 2027 general election.
Gamax, who was the sole aspirant in the exercise, polled 450 votes to secure the party’s ticket.
Declaring the result, the returning officer and Deputy Chairman of ADC in Ebonyi State, Victor Uduma, said party members from the Ebonyi South Senatorial District turned out to participate in the exercise and overwhelmingly endorsed Gamax.
Uduma said, “We had the only candidate here, Idenyi Gamax, who had a total of 450 votes. Party members from Ebonyi South Senatorial District were particularly enthusiastic and happy and have given him the mandate to represent them in the forthcoming 2027 general election as the ADC candidate.”
Speaking after his emergence, Gamax said the substitution primary was conducted as part of the party’s administrative process, following the earlier primary held on April 22, 2026, where he also emerged as the senatorial candidate.
He expressed confidence that ADC would win the 2027 senatorial election, saying consultations across the district had shown that the people were eager for a change in representation.
Gamax said the people of Ebonyi South were looking towards ADC as a vehicle for change and for delivering what he described as effective representation and the dividends of democracy to the people.
“I am very hopeful. Our people are eager for change, and they are looking at ADC as a vehicle to bring about this change and give us the kind of representation that will benefit our people,” he said.
The ADC State Chairman, Jennifer Adibe-Nwafor, described the exercise as peaceful and well monitored by security agencies, the media and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
She explained that the substitution primary became necessary following an alteration in the party’s earlier process, adding that the national leadership directed the state chapter to conduct a fresh substitution primary.
Adibe-Nwafor said the exercise held at the ADC state secretariat on Thursday, August 20, 2026, was the authentic substitution primary recognised by the state chapter and would be forwarded to the national leadership.
She also dismissed reports of another ongoing primary, saying she was not aware of any parallel exercise.
“If there should be any primaries, I should be the one in charge of the primaries. I am not aware of any other primaries going on anywhere,” she said.
The ADC chairman further disclosed that the party would participate in the Ebonyi State local government elections scheduled for August 22, 2026, with candidates for the Ohaukwu chairmanship election and councillorship positions across the state.
She expressed optimism that the party would perform strongly in the local government elections.