Opposition, critics under siege – Ebonyi SDP chair

Dr Kingsley Agbor is the Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ebonyi State and Coordinator of the National Opposition Movements in the state. In this interview with EDWARD NNACHI, he speaks on what he describes as the challenges facing opposition members, questions the rationale behind some government projects, and argues that a growing political consciousness among residents is driving the demand for better alternatives ahead of the 2027 general elections

It has been a while since we heard or read your views on regional or national issues of importance. Where have you been, and what has been happening around you lately?

Yes, I have been quiet for a while on national, regional and state issues because I have been fully engaged with party activities. In recent times, we were occupied with the enormous responsibility of conducting our ward congresses across the 171 electoral wards in Ebonyi State. Weeks later, we proceeded with our local government congresses in the 13 local government areas of the state. On May 3, 2026, precisely, we held our state congress in Abakaliki, which was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission. I was re-elected as the Ebonyi State Chairman of the Social Democratic Party for another four-year tenure. On May 9, 2026, we held our national convention at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi, where our national chairman, Professor Sadiq Gombe, alongside other members of the National Working Committee, were re-elected for another four years. At the same convention, our presidential primary was conducted, where His Excellency Prince Barrister Adewale Adebayo emerged as our presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections. In June, we commenced our party primaries to elect candidates for the forthcoming elections. It is important to note that the SDP will be contesting all available elective positions in Ebonyi State, including the governorship and deputy governorship positions, the three senatorial seats, six House of Representatives seats and 24 State Assembly seats. Currently, we are uploading our State Assembly candidates to the INEC portal. So, you can see that it has been a very busy period for me, which explains the perceived quietness. I may have been quiet for obvious reasons, but I have remained very active.

What was the highlight of the party’s convention in Bauchi?

Like I stated earlier, the convention was held on May 9 at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi. It was a colourful event where our national chairman, Professor Gombe, alongside members of the National Working Committee, was elected for four-year tenure. The major highlight was the presidential primary, which produced our presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, Prince Adewale Adebayo. Another significant achievement was that the SDP became the first political party in Nigeria to conduct its presidential primary for the 2027 election cycle. The national chairman of the AA Party attended the convention and delivered goodwill messages to our party and presidential candidate. The Labour Party national leadership also sent a representative who commended our leadership and candidate.

As Ebonyi SDP chairman, your tenure has remained relatively stable without litigation or court cases challenging your position, unlike what is obtainable in many political parties. What is the secret?

My tenure as the Ebonyi State SDP chairman has not been as smooth as you suggested. Although there has not been any litigation or court summons, we have experienced internal disagreements, opposition and attempts by some individuals to remove me from office. At a point, we had parallel leadership structures in the state due to the activities of our former national chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam. However, those issues have now been resolved, and our current national leadership under Professor Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe has provided the necessary direction and stability. I would say that my secret is God and my commitment to managing the affairs of the party with integrity. Like every human organisation, there will always be critics, but we remain focused, undistracted and committed to providing Ebonyians with an alternative platform where they can achieve their political aspirations. Above all, we remain committed to holding the government of the day accountable.

You mentioned the party’s presidential candidate for the forthcoming general elections, what about the governorship candidates? Who are they?

The SDP was the first political party to conduct its presidential primary for the 2027 general election cycle. As I speak with you, the name of our presidential candidate, Adewale Adebayo, has been uploaded to the INEC portal alongside that of his running mate. We are very civil in our approach and strictly adhere to the rule of law. Because we are less noisy and more focused on how to provide quality governance for Nigerians when elected, some people assume we do not have a presidential candidate. That assumption is incorrect. We have a presidential candidate, and as I said earlier, we were the first to conduct our presidential primary for the 2027 elections. The SDP also has governorship candidates and deputies in Ebonyi and the other states where governorship elections will hold in 2027. All our candidates have been uploaded to the INEC portal. By September, when INEC publishes the official list of governorship candidates and their deputies, Nigerians will see that the SDP has candidates across the states.

There have been allegations of harassment and intimidation of opposition elements by the ruling All Progressives Congress in Ebonyi State as political activities gather momentum ahead of next year’s elections. Are your members also affected? What would you like relevant authorities to do?

The reported allegations of harassment and intimidation of opposition elements by the ruling APC in Ebonyi State are only now gaining attention from other opposition parties. For the SDP, it started many months ago. Because of my vocal criticism of what I consider excessive government spending on weddings, traditional gatherings, birthdays and burial programmes at the expense of quality governance, I was removed from the Inter-Party Advisory Council platform and warned by a government appointee to stop criticising the administration. However, I was not deterred because Ebonyi belongs to all of us. Today, I feel vindicated as the government is now making efforts to highlight achievements to justify seeking another mandate. My advice to the authorities is to embrace tolerance. Opposition is like the brake of a vehicle; without it, there cannot be smooth movement. If everyone becomes a supporter of government without criticism, who will point out where the government is going wrong? Opposition remains the engine of democracy.

One of Governor Francis Nwifuru’s signature projects is the VANCO flyover/tunnel. You recently described it as a “calamitous, self-inflicted and avoidable mistake.” Why?

Whenever I remember the VANCO Junction project, I wish I was dreaming, but unfortunately, it is happening in reality. How the project was conceived, discussed, approved and commenced remains difficult for me to understand. I have always argued that before any government embarks on a project, it should answer three important questions: How many people will the project employ? How will it positively affect the economy of the state? And what multiplier effects will it create? Any project that cannot answer those questions is not worth taxpayers’ money, regardless of the amount involved. Ebonyi residents are facing several challenges, including inadequate access to clean water, lack of industries, poor roads, unfriendly business conditions, dilapidated schools, economic hardship, insecurity, housing deficits and poor rural development. Against this background, I struggle to understand why the VANCO flyover and tunnel became a priority of government.

I described it as calamitous because, in my view, the resources committed to the project would have been better used to address more pressing needs of the people, especially considering the properties affected by the construction.

I also described it as avoidable because, in my opinion, there was nothing wrong with VANCO Junction that required intervention on that scale. As it stands, there is limited information available to the public about the direction and completion timeline of the project. Even if completed today, I believe it would not address the major challenges confronting Ebonyians, just as many other flyovers in the state have not solved the critical problems of the people.

Governor Nwifuru has about 10 months to either begin another four-year term or hand over power if he loses the forthcoming election. How would you rate his administration?

Personally, I do not like rating the administration of Governor Nwifuru because his ardent supporters may interpret such an assessment as an attack on his government. A few days ago, I listened to a radio programme where one of the governor’s aides attempted to highlight the achievements of the administration after three years in office. However, he struggled to point to verifiable achievements, repeatedly assuring Ebonyi people that most of the government’s successes would be felt over time rather than immediately seen. He mentioned areas such as peace, some interventions in healthcare delivery, educational initiatives, including scholarships for students abroad and in some local institutions. He also highlighted some road projects and support initiatives from the governor’s wife. However, under the government’s People’s Charter of Needs agenda, I honestly cannot say the extent to which the needs of the people have been met. I would rather leave Ebonyians, especially supporters of the administration, to objectively assess the government’s performance with honesty and sincerity.

As political activities continue to gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, what is your advice to Ebonyi residents?

I believe the political awareness and consciousness of Ebonyi people today are far better than they were a few years ago. People are becoming more aware of what democracy represents and the true meaning of the dividends of democracy. The most important question every citizen should ask is: Am I better off today than I was yesterday? Those who are preparing to become political thugs should remember that many people have lost their lives through election violence, only to be forgotten while their families continue to suffer. During the period when Ebonyi was governed by the PDP, some political thugs lost their lives in the PDP/APC clashes while trying to impress their political leaders. Today, some of those same leaders and their former opponents are working together. Those who lost their lives have been forgotten by the people they fought for. Nobody is worth dying for in politics. My advice to Ebonyi people is to register, obtain their Permanent Voter Cards and come out in large numbers on election day to vote according to their conscience, free from intimidation, harassment and inducement. They should vote for their future because the power belongs to them. They should also protect their votes but avoid violence completely.

The major contenders for the Ebonyi State Government House in 2027 appear to be Governor Francis Nwifuru and Chief Chukwuma Odii. To redeem the image of Ebonyi State and free it from political godfathers, who would you encourage Ebonyi people to vote for?

The two major contenders currently are Governor Francis Nwifuru and Chief Chukwuma Odii, but I believe more contenders will emerge, particularly from our great party, the Social Democratic Party. While Governor Nwifuru and his supporters will be talking about consolidating on what they consider achievements of the last three years, Chief Odii and his supporters will be making the argument that he represents an opportunity to rescue and reposition the state. The issue of godfathers remains a major concern because, in my view, it has not benefited the generality of the people. Therefore, I will not advocate for the continuation of a godfather-godson arrangement in politics. However, as the chairman of the opposition SDP and the State Coordinator of the National Opposition Movement in Ebonyi State, my responsibility is to bring opposition parties together and make our position known at the appropriate time regarding the direction we will take in the election. That time is not now, but when the moment is right, our collective decision will be made public.