By Brenda Chidinma Imo-Eze
Opposition political parties and other stakeholders in Ebonyi State have condemned an alleged attack on participants at Geneza Hotel, Abakaliki, where the Ebonyi People’s Political/Economic Summit was initially scheduled to hold, claiming that the incident forced them to relocate the gathering.
The stakeholders, in a communiqué issued at the end of the summit on Monday, October 19, 2026, accused suspected political thugs allegedly linked to the state government of attacking participants and inflicting injuries on some attendees.
The communiqué stated: “We condemns the attack on the venue of this summit at Geneza hotels Abakaliki by agents and political thugs of the Ebonyi State Government, which resulted in an unprovoked assault and infliction of grievous injuries on several unsuspecting participants whose only offense is taking part in a peaceful assembly guaranteed under the constitution.”
The participants further alleged that the original venue was barricaded and access withdrawn following directives attributed to Governor Francis Nwifuru, forcing the organisers to move the summit to another location in Abakaliki.
“We also condemn the barricading of the venue on the order of the Executive Governor and withdrawal of right of access by the hotel management on the directive of the State Governor, which resulted in the change of venue,” the communiqué added.
The summit brought together representatives of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), National Democratic Party (NDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Liberation Peoples Party, alongside civil society organisations, community leaders, professionals, farmers, traders, youths and women’s groups.
Rejecting what they described as a climate of political intimidation, the stakeholders called for equal protection for opposition figures, critics, civil society organisations and journalists ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
“We rejects the politics of fear. We condemn any threat, intimidation or harassment of opposition figures, critics, the civil society and the press, and demand equal protection for all parties and candidates,” the communiqué stated.
The participants also declared that political competition should be conducted peacefully and within the law, warning against treating electoral contests as a battle between opposing political interests.
“We, therefore, conclusively submits that the exercise is election, not war,” the communiqué read.
Beyond the alleged incident, the summit declared that Ebonyi State needed urgent attention to poverty, governance, infrastructure and institutional development, describing the state as being at a critical point in its political and economic journey.
“Ebonyi State today is at the cross roads, and in need of urgent rescue from imminent collapse from poverty, misgovernance, decaying infrastructure, and collapse of its all its institutional frameworks,” the communiqué stated.
The stakeholders also rejected the notion of an automatic second term for Governor Nwifuru, insisting that the 2027 governorship election should be determined by performance, integrity, capacity and credible development plans.
“We Note that a second term in any political contest is not an automatic prize bequeathed to people in office, but rather a reward for good works done in the first term,” the communiqué stated, adding that “the slogan of automatic renewal has no constitutional basis.”
They consequently declared that, based on the evidence presented at the summit, the incumbent administration had no reasonable grounds for a renewal of its mandate, insisting that Ebonyi needed a change of leadership.
The summit also outlined six policy priorities for political parties seeking the mandate of Ebonyi residents, including fiscal transparency, economic diversification, agricultural industrialisation, mining reform, human capital development and infrastructure expansion.
Among its proposals were three agro-processing zones in Abakaliki, Afikpo and Uburu; the abolition of multiple taxation for small businesses; annual skills training for 20,000 youths; and the construction of 200 kilometres of farm-to-market roads.
The stakeholders further unveiled an Ebonyi 2035 vision aimed at increasing the state’s annual internally generated revenue from below ₦20 billion to ₦150 billion, reducing poverty and positioning the state as a major national hub for processed rice and salt.