Ebonyi PDP candidate rejects calls to step down for APC governor ahead of 2027

Ebonyi State PDP governorship candidate Ifeanyi Odii has publicly rejected a call by Minister of Works David Umahi to withdraw from the 2027 race in favor of APC incumbent Governor Nwifuru. The demand signals early cross-party maneuvering in a state where the APC holds federal influence, but the candidate's defiance suggests a contested race. The episode is a domestic political development with no immediate market impact.