By Nkechinyere Ewa
The race for the Ebonyi North Senatorial seat in the 2027 general election is gradually shaping up as one of the most intriguing political contests in Ebonyi State. At the centre of the emerging battle are the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Chikodiri Ojimba, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
While the contest is expected to revolve around issues of performance, representation and party strength, another issue has taken centre stage the debate over an alleged zoning or rotational arrangement among the four local government areas that make up Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone: Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Izzi and Ohaukwu.
For Ojimba, the argument is straightforward. He insists that since the return of democracy in 1999, political stakeholders in the zone have operated an understanding that allows each local government area to produce a senator for a single four-year term before power rotates to another area. According to him, the arrangement was respected by several past senators and helped maintain peace, equity and a sense of belonging among the component local governments.
Ojimba argues that Senator Nwebonyi’s decision to seek a second term amounts to a violation of that understanding. He believes the alleged agreement remains valid and binding on political leaders of the zone. In his view, adherence to the arrangement is necessary to preserve political harmony and ensure that every section of Ebonyi North has an opportunity to occupy the senatorial seat.
The APGA candidate also contends that the controversy surrounding the alleged zoning arrangement did not begin with Nwebonyi. He traces the disagreement to the decision that enabled former Governor Samuel Egwu to return to the Senate for a second term. According to Ojimba, that development altered the existing political order and laid the foundation for the current dispute over rotation and tenure.
Beyond the zoning debate, Ojimba has questioned Nwebonyi’s performance in office, arguing that the people of Ebonyi North deserve more effective representation. He has presented himself as a candidate ready to offer a fresh direction and insists that the electorate should be allowed to decide the matter at the polls.
On the other hand, Senator Nwebonyi has dismissed the zoning argument as lacking legal and political foundation. He maintains that no enforceable agreement prevents a serving senator from seeking re-election and has challenged proponents of the alleged arrangement to produce documentary evidence to support their claims.
Rather than focusing on zoning, Nwebonyi wants the conversation to centre on performance. The senator points to various projects and interventions he says he has attracted to the district, including road infrastructure, scholarship programmes and agricultural empowerment initiatives. He argues that his achievements have distinguished him from his predecessors and justify his bid for a second term.
For the senator, elections should be determined by the people’s assessment of a candidate’s record rather than by unwritten political understandings. He believes voters will ultimately judge aspirants based on what they have delivered and what they can offer in the future.
The disagreement between both men reflects a broader question that often arises in Nigerian politics: should public offices rotate among different communities in the interest of equity, or should voters be free to return performing officeholders regardless of informal arrangements? While advocates of rotation see it as a tool for inclusion and stability, opponents argue that competence and performance should remain the primary criteria for electoral success.
As campaigns gather momentum ahead of 2027, the Ebonyi North contest is expected to test these competing political philosophies. The debate has already moved beyond the ambitions of individual candidates to larger questions about fairness, representation and democratic choice.
Whether the electorate ultimately embraces the argument of political rotation or rewards perceived performance remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that the contest between Ojimba and Nwebonyi has opened an important conversation about the future of political representation in Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone and may become one of the defining electoral battles in Ebonyi State ahead of the 2027 general election.,