Ebonyi Governor's "Deal With Them" Comment Sparks Outrage as Opposition Cries Foul.

PDP warns Nwifuru's tough talk could trigger political violence ahead of 2027 elections

The political temperature in Ebonyi State is rising sharply after Governor Francis Nwifuru's fiery remarks to newly elected local government officials have drawn fierce criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

At Tuesday's inauguration ceremony for 13 council chairmen, their deputies, and 171 councillors at the Christian Ecumenical Centre in Abakaliki, the governor didn't mince words.

"If you allow anybody to come to your local government and mess up, deal with that person mercilessly," Nwifuru told the gathering. "It is either you are with me or you are against me."

The governor went further, warning that any chairman who fails to deliver their local government area to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 would be removed from office.

"As a local government chairman, if you like, go and sleep so that another person will take over your house," he added. "You will not stop us from winning, but when we win, we will remove you."

Nwifuru also made a bold prediction that the APC would sweep every elective position in the state come 2027. "We cannot leave any position to any other political party; we will win 100 percent. Go and tell the opposition this," he declared.

PDP Fires Back:

But the PDP isn't taking this lying down. State Chairman Hon. Igwe Chukwuma issued a strongly worded response over the weekend, accusing the governor of issuing "an open charge to visit official hostility upon citizens for no offence beyond their choice of party."

"This is not political banter. It is an invitation to violence," Chukwuma said.

The PDP chairman pointed to a pattern of aggressive rhetoric from the governor, recalling an earlier statement where Nwifuru allegedly vowed to "consume" the opposition. The party also linked the governor's comments to recent attacks on opposition members in Ohaukwu and Ezza South local government areas, as well as alleged assaults on journalists covering political activities.

The opposition party didn't stop there. They're also questioning the legitimacy of the recent local government elections conducted by the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC), arguing that the APC's clean sweep of all 13 LGAs and 171 wards wasn't the result of genuine democratic competition.

Citing constitutional provisions and past court rulings, the PDP insisted the new council structure is "legally defective."

A Call for Neutrality

The PDP is now calling on security agencies to maintain neutrality and protect all citizens regardless of their political affiliation.

"Ebonyi State does not belong to one political party, and its security architecture does not exist to serve one political entity. That principle is non-negotiable," the party stated.

"We will not be intimidated into silence. We will resist, through every lawful and constitutional avenue, any further assault on our members," the PDP added, vowing to mobilize ahead of the 2027 elections.

The party insists that Ebonyi residents must be free to determine their leaders at the ballot box without intimidation.

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Headline Options:

1. "Deal With Them Mercilessly": Ebonyi Governor's Tough Talk Triggers Political Storm

2. 2027 Election Tensions: PDP Accuses Ebonyi Governor of Inciting Violence

3. "It's Either You're With Me or Against Me" Ebonyi Governor's Warning Sparks Outrage

4. Ebonyi PDP Fires Back at Governor Nwifuru Over "Merciless" Threat to Opposition

5. Political Tensions Rise in Ebonyi as Governor Vows 100% APC Victory in 2027.