I Don’t Have A Shop, Politics Is My Business – Ebonyi LG Boss Vows to Implement Gov’s Directive

The newly sworn-in Chairman of Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Eze Paul Ituma, has declared that he is fully prepared to implement Governor Francis Nwifuru’s directive to mobilise support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Ituma made the declaration while warning opposition politicians against attempting to undermine the APC in Ohaukwu.

According to Ituma, those who refuse to align with the ruling party should stay away from the local government.

The council chairman said his priority at the moment was politics and that he had no business interests that could distract him from the political assignment given to him by the governor.

“Except the opposition are ready to submit to us so that we can embrace them, as the Governor advised, otherwise, they shouldn’t step into Ohaukwu. Anyone who tries to do so will be declared persona non grata,” Ituma said.

He added, “This is the time for politics. I don’t have a shop at the International Market or Okwo Ngbo Market; politics is my business. Anyone who wants to put sand in my garri should not come close to Ohaukwu.”

Ituma’s comments came a day after Governor Nwifuru warned the 13 newly elected local government chairmen that their continued stay in office would depend on their ability to deliver their respective council areas to the APC in the 2027 elections.

Nwifuru issued the warning on Tuesday at the Ecumenical Centre in Abakaliki during the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected chairmen and their vice chairmen. The ceremony was attended by APC leaders, members of the National Assembly from the state and other party stakeholders.

The governor told the council chairmen that their responsibilities extended beyond the administration of their local governments, insisting that they were also expected to mobilise voters and ensure victory for the APC during the next general election.

He warned that any chairman who failed to deliver his council area to the ruling party would be removed from office.

“Chairmen, as local government chairmen, if you like, go and sleep and think that another person will take over your house. You will not stop us from winning. When we win, you know we will win, and we will remove any council chairman that did not win his local government. It is as simple as that,” Nwifuru said.

The governor stressed that his warning was not intended to be secret, challenging journalists to give it prominent coverage.

“It is not hidden. Let the front page of the newspaper tomorrow carry it: ‘We will remove a council chairman that did not win his local government,’” he declared.

Nwifuru subsequently directed the newly inaugurated council bosses to return to their respective local government areas and commence mobilisation for the APC ahead of 2027.

He expressed confidence that the party would secure victory across Ebonyi State, insisting that the APC would not concede any political position to the opposition.

“We cannot leave one position to any other political party. We will win 100 per cent in the general election. Go and tell our opposition that nobody is threatening them. We have now started campaigning. We are not threatening you; we will defeat you at the polls,” the governor said.

The governor’s directive followed the APC’s sweeping victory in the Ebonyi State local government elections held in August, in which the party was declared winner in all 13 local government areas and 171 wards contested.

The Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) said the election was conducted peacefully across the state.

Nwifuru had also commended the conduct of the council poll after casting his ballot at Edupfu Okemini Polling Unit 002 in Oferekpe Agbaja, Izzi Local Government Area.

During the swearing-in ceremony, the governor congratulated the newly elected council chairmen and reminded them of the constitutional responsibilities attached to their offices.

He urged them to remember that they had taken an oath to serve the people and to operate within the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly those relating to democratically elected local government councils.

Nwifuru also cautioned the newly elected vice chairmen against creating rival political structures within their councils or working against the chairmen.