A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Chief Julius Ama Orji, has urged traditional rulers in the area to steer clear from reckless endorsements of aspirants ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This is as the community leader maintained that those clamouring for the continued occupation of the Afikpo/Edda Federal Constituency by anyone from the Afikpo Local Government Area are unfair to the people of the Edda Local Government Area, saying it was the turn of Edda to represent the constituency.
Orji spoke on Friday in Abakaliki while fielding questions from journalists, adding that equity demands that the people of Edda council should produce the next federal legislator.
He spoke against the backdrop of a purported endorsement of the incumbent member representing the Afikpo/Edda Federal Constituency, Idu Igariwey for a fourth term by monarchs from the Edda clan in December 2025.
The PDP stalwart urged the traditional rulers and institutions in the area to preoccupy themselves with their mandate of overseeing the culture and safety of their domains rather than concerning themselves with political issues.
He said, “For the sake of equity and fairness, it’s the turn of the Edda people to produce the next lawmaker for the Afikpo/Edda Federal Constituency. We are not arguing about it with anybody or group of persons. This is how it should be and the people of equally Afikpo know this.”
According to him, the people of Afikpo area had occupied the position for 20 years since the return of civilian rule in 1999 which marked Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, while the Edda people only did eight years.
“If it were to be a property, both the people from the Afikpo and Edda LGAs co-own it. So, one is wondering why the Afikpo people should continue to push to go back after spending 20 years in the position. So, we are saying that it’s the turn of Edda people to take a shot at the constituency.”
Lamenting further, he noted that the people of Edda had never been adequately represented at the Green Chamber, and demanded that those who were previously elected to represent the constituency from the Afikpo council to point him to any democratic dividend they brought to Edda land.
“So, I call on our traditional rulers to stop any further move to endorse or support anybody from the Afikpo LGA who wants to contest this time around. It’s Edda’s turn to go for the constituency because we have been abysmally shortchanged. The 20 years, which the Afikpo people had done is not is not 20 days or weeks or months; it’s 20 years and it’s enough to build and transform a society. But we have only had 8 years.
“However, even at that, what have we got? What we have had is underrepresentation, underperformance and self-enrichment and awards of projects to cronies, brothers and sisters. This must stop,” he added.
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