The communities, under the Ibii/Ozizza political bloc, said they have not produced a chairman since the creation of Afikpo Local Government Area, while other communities within the council have allegedly had two or more opportunities to occupy the seat.
In a letter addressed to the governor and jointly signed by prominent leaders including Nwachi Fredrick Otu, Nnali Francis, Eze Joshua, Godwin Obiahu, Alum Festus, Emmanuel Ezeali, Otu Clement and Elechi Egwu, the bloc appealed for what they described as “equity, fairness and justice” in the distribution of political offices in the council.
“It is heartbreaking that Ibii/Ozizza bloc has not, even for one day, produced a Local Government Chairman, while several other communities have had multiple turns,” the letter stated.
The leaders described the 2026 local government election as a critical opportunity to correct what they termed a longstanding political imbalance and to end the recurring “not yet your time” narrative they said has consistently been used to deny their bloc the chairmanship position.
They expressed confidence that Governor Nwifuru’s administration has the capacity to address what they called an “ugly record of exclusion” by ensuring that the Ibii/Ozizza bloc produces the next chairman of Afikpo Local Government Area.
The communities also appealed to key political stakeholders in the state, including former governor and current Minister of Works, David Umahi, to support their agitation in the interest of unity and fairness.
“We believe this administration can courageously end this ugly record and give Ibii/Ozizza the opportunity to produce the 2026 Afikpo Local Government Chairman,” the leaders stated.
Beyond the demand for the chairmanship seat, the bloc lamented what it described as a lack of consultation in previous decisions regarding which community should produce the council chairman.
According to them, such decisions have often been taken without broad-based engagement, a trend they said is inconsistent with practices in other local government areas of the state.
They warned that continued exclusion could undermine unity and political cohesion in Afikpo, stressing that granting their request would deepen the spirit of fairness, strengthen inter-community harmony and promote sustainable development within the local government.
The petitioners therefore urged Governor Nwifuru to urgently intervene and address the issue in the interest of equity, justice, peace and development in Afikpo Local Government Area.
Political observers say the development may reshape consultations ahead of the 2026 council elections, as stakeholders intensify alignments across communities within Afikpo.
