Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has warned newly inaugurated local government chairmen that they risk losing their positions if they fail to deliver their councils to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
Nwifuru issued the warning on Wednesday in Abakaliki while inaugurating the chairmen and vice-chairmen elected to lead the state’s 13 local government areas.
The governor said he expected each council chairman to ensure an outright APC victory in his area, warning that failure to do so would attract removal from office.
“Any chairman who fails to win his council will be removed from office and replaced with a councillor,” Nwifuru said, adding that he wanted the warning publicly reported because political decisions should not be taken secretly.
He accused some politicians of becoming complacent and warned the council leaders against allowing opposition parties to gain a foothold in their respective areas.
Nwifuru also demanded a 100 per cent APC vote from the local government leadership in 2027, while cautioning the chairmen against unnecessary disputes with their deputies.
Turning to the vice-chairmen, the governor urged them to maintain a supportive relationship with their principals rather than compete for influence.
Using a vehicle analogy, he described the vice-chairmen as “spare tyres inside the car boot”, saying their primary responsibility was to step in when the substantive chairmen were unable to perform their duties.
He advised them to remain informed about developments in their councils and avoid allowing rumours or external influences to create divisions between them and the chairmen.
Nwifuru cited his deputy as an example of how effective service at the local government level could open the door to higher political office. He noted that she had previously served as a council chairman before becoming deputy governor.
“She performed in ways people saw her and believed she could do the work of a deputy governor,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the new council leaders, Afikpo Local Government Chairman Timothy Nwachi thanked the governor and APC stakeholders for entrusting them with the responsibility of administering the councils.
Nwachi pledged that the chairmen would justify the confidence placed in them and work towards securing a landslide victory for the APC in Ebonyi in 2027.
Among the newly inaugurated chairmen are Osborne Umahi, son of Works Minister David Umahi, and Chidi Nwode, brother of the governor’s wife.
