Senatorial candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ebonyi Central, Prof. Ifeanyi Bernard Odoh, has called on Nigerians to elect men and women of integrity as President and Federal lawmakers in the January 16, 2027 elections.
Odoh, a former Vice-Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, averred that if the populace failed to vote right in 2027, the people may have lost a lifetime opportunity.
The Professor of Applied Geophysics made the remarks in Onitsha, Anambra State, on the occasion of the 2026 edition of the New Yam Festival of Ezza Ezekuna Community Development Forum Anambra (EECDFA), where he served as chairman of the occasion. The event took place at the ABS field, Awada, Onitsha.
The senatorial candidate, who described the 2027 general elections as the defining era in Nigeria’s history, urged the people not to miss the opportunity.
He said, “Peter Obi is a household name. All of us know what he represents. He is a man you can always feel his heart. We all know what he did as governor of Anambra State.
“Nigerians want him. Our country needs him at this defining moment. If we miss him in 2027, I’m sorry, there might not be Nigeria anymore.
“I encourage our people to come out to support him, and all lawmakers that will work with him, so that we can have a new Nigeria where everyone will have a sense of belonging.
“Presently, not many citizens are proud to be called Nigerians. A litre of fuel costs N1,450 today. I don’t know the number of Nigerian families that can withstand the situation we currently find ourselves in.
“Again, looking at the current situation of our country, everybody needs positive change. 2027 is crucial for the survival of Nigeria.
“The election is a defining moment for the country and for all of us. I’ve asked all Ezza people living in Anambra that, by 30th December, 2026, let everyone come back home to Ebonyi State, where they will exercise their franchise by electing credible candidates on January 16, 2026, so that we could achieve change and good governance for Nigeria and move the country forward.”
He further described Peter Obi as a man of honour and integrity, adding that the NDC presidential candidate represents prudence, incorruptible character and good governance.
On his senatorial aspiration, Prof. Odoh expressed high hopes that people of Ebonyi Central would support him, and noted that he has served his people in different capacities, and that they know him as a man of honour.
According to him, “My people know me. I have served them in the past. They know I will do well when I get there. Our people are behind us.
“They know what I’ve done for them in the past, and they know I have good intentions for them. So, they’re behind us. We’re going to win.”
He further urged Ezza Ezekuna Community Development Forum in Anambra to remain united and focused, and to be good ambassadors of their people wherever they live.
Also speaking at the occasion, Amb. Moses Igwe, President General of Ebonyi Town Union Association in Anambra, who is also the initiator of Ezza Ezekuna Community Development Forum, noted that the occasion allowed them to celebrate and honour some illustrious sons of Ezza Ezekuna and some other Ebonyi indigenes who have made outstanding achievements in Anambra, including Chief Monday Nwokoye, the Director of the Special Anti-Touting Squad (SASA), who was honoured with a chieftaincy title during the event.
Ambassador Igwe also urged Ezza Ezekuna indigenes in Anambra to be good ambassadors, and not to involve themselves in any form of crime or criminality.
Earlier in his remarks, Mr Patrick Nweke, Committee chairman for the 2026 New Yam Festival, expressed happiness over the success of the ceremony, which he said will go a long way in uniting Ezza people resident in Anambra.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of EECDFA, Mr Chinedu Itumo, said that the New Yam Festival not only celebrates the harvest but also the people of Ezza Ezekuna, who they are, where they come from, and the strength they possess when they stand together as a people.
He further described the New Yam Festival as a cherished expression of the people’s culture, heritage, thanksgiving, unity and common identity – a time to appreciate God for His blessings, celebrate the fruit of their labour, honour their tradition and renew their bonds as brothers and sisters.
