BY EDITOR
The member representing Ohaozara-Onicha-Ivo Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Nkemkama Kama, and other stakeholders from Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have commended Governor Francis Nwifuru for promoting peace, political cohesion and stakeholder inclusiveness, saying the development has positioned the state for greater growth ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kama spoke on Thursday while fielding questions from journalists at the All Progressives Congress (APC) mega rally on Thursday in Ivo LGA ahead of the August 22, 2026 local government elections.
He described the rally as a demonstration of the strength and popularity of the APC in the area, noting that the massive turnout reflected the people’s confidence in the party and the administration of Governor Nwifuru.
“There's only one party and that party is APC. It’s a party affair, it’s a local government affair. It went very well, as you can see,” Kama said.
The federal lawmaker urged elected and incoming local government officials to prioritise service, accountability and legacy, stressing that leadership must be measured by the extent to which the people benefit from government.
“Nobody knows it all. Nobody has it all. Nobody is perfect. The only thing we can offer is a word of advice: build your own. Try to leave legacies. Try to rule your people with dignity. Make sure that whatever belongs to them gets to them,” he said.
On opposition allegations against the APC-led government, Kama, who recalled his previous experience in opposition politics, said opposition parties were expected to scrutinise government, but urged them to make their criticisms constructive and evidence-based.
He said the APC administration would continue to respond to allegations with verifiable projects and records rather than propaganda.
“Our own is not to go into certain maps. We shouldn't dwell on propaganda. We put facts for them. That's the way to answer propaganda,” he said.
Kama, however, acknowledged that no government was perfect, urging the media and opposition to recognise achievements while constructively pointing out areas requiring improvement.
“If I praise you for the ones you've got right and criticise you for the ones you've got wrong, you will listen to me. But when it is blanket evil, you begin to believe that this person is not being honest with you,” he said.
The lawmaker particularly eulogized Governor Nwifuru for what he described as an unusual ability to bring political stakeholders across the state together, attributing the prevailing relative peace to the governor’s inclusive approach.
“People are looking for recognition, relevance and importance. He has been able to make everybody feel important, part and parcel of the government, and has brought everybody together,” Kama said.
He described Governor Nwifuru as possessing “native intelligence,” saying the governor had demonstrated political dexterity in managing diverse interests and maintaining cohesion among stakeholders.
According to him, the governor’s ability to work in synergy with other political leaders and stakeholders is crucial to attracting development to Ebonyi.
Kama also stressed the importance of peace to economic and infrastructural development, arguing that no meaningful development could take place in an atmosphere of insecurity and political instability.
“Peace is the fundamental, the bedroom of every development you can think of. Without peace, people will not gather here. Without peace, you cannot even go for this rally,” he said.
He also urged Ebonyians to exercise patience with the administration’s development programmes, saying some projects and policies would yield greater benefits with time.
The Executive Chairman of Ivo Local Government Area, Chief Emmanuel Ajah, also hailed the governor and other stakeholders for sustaining peace and development in the area.
Ajah said his administration had prioritised infrastructure, education, security, empowerment and community reconciliation, listing the completion of markets, bridges, roads, courts and other public facilities among its achievements.
He identified peace and unity as his administration’s major accomplishments, particularly efforts to reconcile communities and stakeholders previously divided by disagreements.
“My greatest achievement is peace that I brought in; unity, peace and security, not only in Ivo Local Government Area but across the state,” Ajah said.
He said the administration had also supported students and graduates through educational interventions and provided logistics and infrastructure support for security agencies operating in the area.
Ajah urged the people to sustain the prevailing atmosphere of peace and resist attempts to exploit political differences for destabilisation.
Also speaking, the APC State Chairman, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, cautioned the people of Ivo against what he described as “politics of gambling,” urging them to protect the principles of zoning, equity and political rotation which, according to him, have contributed to stability in Ebonyi.
Emegha said the Nwifuru administration had recorded significant interventions across sectors under its People’s Charter of Needs agenda, particularly in peacebuilding, infrastructure, education and human capital development.
He urged voters to support APC candidates in the August 22 local government elections, saying the party remained committed to grassroots development.
Presenting the APC flag to the party’s chairmanship candidate for Ivo LGA, Governor Nwifuru, represented by his Deputy, Princess Patricia Onyemaechi Obila, said the people of Ivo had made the right choice by selecting the party’s candidates for the election.
The deputy governor urged the electorate to remain united and support candidates capable of consolidating the administration’s development agenda at the grassroots.
Other stakeholders, including Ebonyi State lawmaker Chief Onyebuchi Ogbadu, Commissioner for Solid Minerals and Development Chief Chinedu Nkah, former Ivo LGA chairman Chief James Aro Nweke, former Commissioner for Information and State Orientation Barrister Uchenna Orji, President of Ishiagu Community Development Union Chief Moses Ajah, and other community leaders, reportedly expressed support for the APC and commended the Nwifuru administration’s emphasis on peace, unity and development.
The stakeholders maintained that political stability remained critical to attracting investment, executing infrastructure projects and improving the welfare of citizens, urging the people to reject actions capable of plunging the state into avoidable political crisis.
The rally attracted a large crowd comprising politicians, traditional rulers, religious leaders, academics, business operators, youths, students and market women, who expressed support for the APC and applauded the administration’s peace and development initiatives.
The event also served as a major political mobilisation ahead of the August 22 local government elections, with party leaders urging supporters to translate their enthusiasm into electoral participation.
The stakeholders further argued that the preservation of peace and political cohesion in Ebonyi would remain central to the state’s development trajectory as preparations gradually intensify for the 2027 general elections.
