The Ebonyi State government has backed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s proposed enforcement of sanctions against hate speech, inflammatory rhetoric and other abusive campaign practices ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The government’s position was conveyed by the Special Assistant to Governor Francis Nwifuru on Interparty Affairs, Comrade Sunday Nwambam, who accused some opposition politicians and their supporters of abandoning issue-based politics for what he described as a “campaign of calumny” against the administration.
Nwambam, who spoke with journalists on Wednesday, said the government had no intention of suppressing legitimate opposition, but warned that political criticism must remain within the boundaries of the law.
“My office has in recent days been inundated by reports of abusive statements and rhetoric credited to some failed political actors, content creators masquerading as civil society campaigners and those who claim to be spokespersons of some factions of opposition political parties operating in the state,” he said.
He particularly faulted what he described as personal attacks against Governor Nwifuru, including alleged comments concerning the governor’s family and health, arguing that such interventions had little relevance to governance or public policy.
“For the likes of Charles Otu to go to a national television station and leave numerous issues bordering on good governance in the state to discuss the family and personal life of his governor is so low and abysmally poor,” Nwambam said.
He also criticised Chika Nwoba over what he characterised as speculation about the governor’s health, describing such conduct as “petty” and urging opposition figures to focus their campaigns on policies and programmes.
Nwambam said the administration would continue to respect the constitutional right to dissent, but insisted that Governor Nwifuru’s government must be engaged within the framework of the law.
“The administration of His Excellency, Governor Francis Nwifuru, is an institution founded in the law of the land and, whether politics or not, must be preserved, protected and engaged within the context of relevant laws and constitutional provisions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Defending the administration’s record, the governor’s aide listed education, road infrastructure, security and economic empowerment among areas where he said the government had made significant interventions.
He cited the establishment of universities at Ezza and Oferekpe, foreign scholarship programmes, agricultural empowerment initiatives, smart school projects and security measures as evidence of what he described as the administration’s development agenda.
Nwambam challenged opposition parties and their candidates to present alternative programmes to voters rather than relying on personal attacks.
He said, “What is going on in the state is not an issue-based campaign as expected but a calculated attempt to destroy the state by those who have turned blind eyes to the quantum of achievements of the present administration.”
The governor’s aide urged INEC and other relevant authorities to apply existing electoral laws against individuals whose campaign activities cross into hate speech, incitement or other prohibited conduct.
“As part of efforts to curb toxic political rhetoric, my office encourages INEC to ensure that those who violate relevant provisions of the Electoral Act are subjected to the demands of the law,” he said.
Nwambam further defended Governor Nwifuru against claims that his political interventions amounted to threats against Ebonyians, describing the governor’s position as a responsibility to guide citizens on the political direction of the country.
He urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to moderate their rhetoric and avoid actions capable of undermining the peace of the state ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Let us all remember that Ebonyi is for all of us and must be peaceful enough for everyone to live in,” he said.
