Not less than one week after students of the Ebonyi State University endorsed the governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the Saturday, February 6, 2027 election, Chief Ifeanyi Odii, handlers of Governor Francis Nwifuru have also allegedly pushed him to seek endorsements from support groups student bodies in the state, investigation has revealed.
Members of the Ebonyi State University Medical Students Association (EBSUMSA), had during their homecoming/reunion colloquium, declared their support for Odii ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial polls, saying that the PDP standard bearer had the capacity to turn their fortunes around if elected governor.
Represented at the event by Chief Moses Idika, the Director of Media and Publicity of Anyi G’ Emeya, Odii promised to transform the state university, to a centre of excellence if elected the governor.
He further said he will expand access to medical education, improve professional competence, and develop a sustainable pipeline of skilled personnel for the state health system.
“Consider our medical professionals who receive their education in Nigeria and, subsequently, practise abroad. Many encounter a striking difference between the working environments they leave behind and the systems into which they enter. They often discover better-equipped facilities, more reliable infrastructure, stronger institutional support, and more conducive conditions for professional growth.
“Yet, there is no magic behind the success of these systems. Progress begins when those entrusted with authority, at every level, commit themselves to doing things properly, making responsible decisions, and putting the public interest first. Our vision is to transform Ebonyi State University into a true centre of excellence, recognised for quality education, research, innovation, and professional development,” Odii had said.
Our correspondent gathered that one week after the students wholeheartedly gave their endorsement to the PDP governorship hopeful, the state government allegedly summoned all the student leaders in the and mandated them to reject the endorsement.
A political analyst in the state, who pleaded anonymity for fear of being attacked, said the Ebonyi State governor was unsettled with the students’ endorsement of Odii, adding, “it was a case of biting the finger that feeds you”.
He said, “What is going on in Ebonyi politics is both petty and primitive. This is not how politics should be played and, is played in other states in Nigeria. I think politics and or election should be a process through which the people freely elect their representatives or leaders.
“Why then is our own way of playing politics different here?. Student groups gathered, accessed the candidates and then decided to genuinely endorse a particular candidate because they believe that candidate will do better if given the chance. So, why would any democratic leader summon the same students and direct them to reject such endorsement? Is this not anti-democracy? Is this not autocracy? Anyways, we are watching to see how it all plays out”.
A Tinubu Support Organisation in the state, on Monday, endorsed Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, for a second term, vowing to mobilise grassroots support for his re-election.
The political enthusiast queried the hurried endorsement of the governor by the group no less than a week after a student body gave their backing to the PDP governorship candidate.
He alleged, that “The ongoing endorsements spree by the governor were done to doused the one already done by the student body on his major challenger, Odii. For us, these are forced or procured endorsements — they are fake endorsements, because they were not done by the people willingly. Those doing these endorsements for the reelection the governor are not doing so with their genuine intentions.”