By Amaka Okafor
The political rivalry between the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State, Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, and the member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency, Chinedu Ogah, intensified on Thursday as both camps exchanged accusations over alleged cyber-bullying, governance and alleged electoral misconduct ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The latest confrontation began after Ogah accused Odii of sponsoring cyberbullying, propaganda and character assassination against Governor Francis Nwifuru.
The lawmaker also alleged that the PDP governorship hopeful was behind the registration of underage voters in Onicha Local Government Area and challenged him to make public his contributions to the development of Ebonyi State.
Addressing journalists in Abakaliki, Ogah urged Odii to pursue his political ambition through lawful means rather than what he described as campaigns of misinformation. He further alleged, without providing evidence, that Odii paid officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register underage voters.
“Governor Francis Nwifuru has surpassed Odii in human capital development and infrastructure. Politics should be played according to the rules and not through propaganda and cyberbullying,” Ogah said.
However, the Anyi Ga Emeya Movement, a political group backing Odii, dismissed the allegations as false and politically motivated. In a statement signed by its spokesman, Mazi Moses Idika, the group maintained that holding public office holders accountable should not be misconstrued as cyberbullying.
“Demanding accountability from elected leaders is a constitutional right. Asking questions about governance and public expenditure is a democratic obligation, not cyberbullying,” the statement read.
The group also denied allegations linking Odii to underage voter registration, describing the claims as reckless and defamatory. It challenged Ogah to submit any evidence in his possession to the appropriate security agencies instead of making public accusations.
Defending the PDP candidate’s record, the movement claimed that through the Ebele and Anyichuks Foundation and his private investments, Odii had empowered over 10,000 youths and women, awarded more than 5,000 scholarships, established agro-processing and ICT hubs, sponsored medical outreach programmes and built over 200 houses for widows and vulnerable persons across Ebonyi’s 13 local government areas.
“If Hon. Ogah has credible evidence against Chief Odii, he should present it to the relevant security agencies instead of engaging in media trials,” the statement added.
The opposition group further stated that Odii’s governorship aspiration was driven by a commitment to improve governance in Ebonyi State. It pledged to continue scrutinising the performance of the Nwifuru administration, commending policies it considers beneficial while criticising areas it believes require improvement.
The latest war of words underscores the growing political tension between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition PDP as preparations gradually gather momentum for the 2027 governorship election in Ebonyi State, with both sides increasingly engaging in public exchanges over governance, accountability and electoral integrity.
