The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Enugu State, Ocho Obodoeze, has assured party members and supporters that his name will appear on the ballot in the 2027 governorship election, dismissing growing concerns and reports suggesting otherwise.

Obodoeze gave the assurance on Monday while addressing the party’s leadership, executives and other candidates during an emergency State Executive Council (SEC) meeting held in Enugu.

The governorship hopeful, who hails from Aku in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State and represents the Enugu North Senatorial Zone, urged party members to remain calm, united and committed to the ADC, insisting that the party’s national leadership had fulfilled the necessary constitutional and legal requirements for the participation of its candidates in the 2027 general election.

According to him, the names of the ADC candidates, including his, have been uploaded to the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the party’s national leadership.

Obodoeze also charged party leaders and members to intensify grassroots mobilisation, urging them to take the ADC campaign to every ward and community across the state.

He said the party’s victory would depend largely on the commitment of its members to mobilise voters and build strong structures ahead of the election.

ADC Denies Alleged Support for PDP Candidate

The party, in a statement issued after the SEC meeting and signed by its Caretaker Secretary, Comrade Adolphus Ude, also strongly denied reports that Obodoeze had withdrawn from the governorship race or was backing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Uche Nnaji.

The party described the report as “mischievous and deceitful propaganda,” maintaining that the names of its governorship and House of Assembly candidates in Enugu State had been submitted and uploaded to the INEC portal in accordance with the Electoral Act.

“The propaganda that the name of the ADC candidate, Ocho Obodoeze, is not in INEC and that he is supporting the PDP candidate, Uche Nnaji, is a blatant lie,” the statement said.

The party further referenced the August 13, 2026 Court of Appeal judgment in Abuja concerning the dispute over the PDP governorship candidate in Osun State, arguing that the decision reinforced the position that political parties have the authority to submit the names of their duly nominated candidates to INEC.

Enugu ADC maintained that the INEC portal itself is not a constitutional requirement and insisted that the party had satisfied all relevant legal requirements for the nomination of its candidates.

ADC Leaders Rally Members for 2027

Speaking at the meeting, the party’s Caretaker Chairman, General Chris Eze (rtd.), called on members to remain united and work collectively towards securing victory for the ADC in 2027.

The Caretaker Secretary, Comrade A.C. Ude, urged party leaders to focus strongly on polling-unit structures and ensure that reliable and trusted representatives are established across the various polling booths.

Similarly, the Director-General of the campaign, Hon. Walter Oji, called for the establishment of door-to-door canvassers across the wards, stressing that the party’s existing grassroots structures should be fully utilised for voter mobilisation.

The ADC said the growing attention around the party was evidence of its increasing popularity in Enugu State, urging members not to be distracted by what it described as attempts to undermine the party ahead of the 2027 election.

The party declared that it remained focused on its ambition to take over the government of Enugu State in 2027.