Umahi’s 28-Year-Old son emerges Ebonyi LG Council Chairman, vows to reject salary

Osborn Nweze Umahi, the 28-year-old son of Minister of Works, David Umahi, has emerged chairman of Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

Umahi contested the August 22, 2026 local government election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was declared the winner.

His campaign focused on grassroots mobilisation, economic development and improving local government administration.

Shortly after his victory was announced, Umahi said he would not collect salary or allowances throughout his tenure, pledging to channel the council’s resources towards development.

According to him, the decision was driven by his desire to prioritise public service over personal financial benefits.

The new council chairman also pledged to focus on infrastructure development, youth empowerment, job and economic opportunities, as well as improved service delivery across Ohaozara.

During the campaign, Umahi presented himself as part of a younger generation of politicians and promised to introduce private-sector ideas, efficiency and innovation into local government administration.

He also stressed the need to strengthen grassroots governance and address the economic and social challenges facing residents.

Umahi commends peaceful election

Earlier, after casting his ballot at his Onuofukulu polling unit in Umunaga, Uburu, Umahi commended the peaceful conduct of the election.

“I’m satisfied with the conduct of the election so far. I’m happy to see that everything has been peaceful,” he said.

He expressed hope that the peaceful atmosphere would continue through the conclusion of voting and the collation of results.

Other political leaders and government officials who participated in the election also commended the exercise.

The Commissioner for Special Duties, Valentine Okike-Uzor, after voting at his Onu Borehole polling unit in Onicha Local Government Area, urged whoever emerged chairman to govern all residents regardless of their political affiliations.

“After today, the chairman becomes the chairman of everybody in the local government, not just one political party,” he said.

The Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Francis Ori, also praised the conduct of the election and voter turnout, while commending Governor Francis Nwifuru for what he described as the peaceful atmosphere in the state.

Senator Anthony Ani, representing Ebonyi South Senatorial District, described the exercise as a demonstration of the state’s commitment to democratic governance.

Ani said attention should now focus on the quality of governance delivered by elected council officials rather than arguments over whether local government elections should be held every two or four years.

He urged the newly elected officials to ensure that residents benefit from the democratic process through effective governance and accountability.

Similarly, the member representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Kama Nkemkanma, expressed satisfaction with voter participation.

He said the turnout recorded in areas he visited indicated that residents remained interested in local government administration.

PDP boycotts election

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State boycotted the election, alleging that the exercise was designed to favour the ruling APC.

In a statement issued on Saturday, PDP Publicity Secretary Darlington Peter-Onwe called on the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) to suspend the election pending compliance with a subsisting court order.

The party argued that the exercise was not legally valid and accused the state government of disregarding court orders relating to local government administration.

The PDP also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to intervene and take note of the development.

It further called on the Ebonyi State Government to comply with outstanding court orders and refrain from actions that could result in further legal challenges to local government elections in the state.

The development adds a political dimension to Umahi’s emergence, as the APC-backed election has been rejected by the opposition PDP, which did not participate in the exercise.

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