Governor Francis Nwifuru has threatened to sack elected local government chairs if they fail to win their council area in the 2027 elections, ordering them to crush opponents in Ebonyi to ensure the ruling All Progressives Congress wins every local council.

Mr Nwifuru gave the charge at the inauguration of new local government chairmen in Abakaliki on Tuesday.

“As a local government chairman, if you like, go and sleep. So that another person will take over your house. You will not stop us from winning. We will win. You know we will win. But when we win, we will remove you. It is as simple as that.

“It is not hidden. Let the newspapers report it on the first page that we will remove any chairman who fails to win his local government. It is not hidden. If you allow anybody to come to your local government and mess up, deal with that person mercilessly,” Mr Nwifuru said.

After Mr Nwifuru’s charge, Eze Paul Ituma, the chairman of Ohaukwu council area, doubled down on the Ebonyi governor’s threat.

In an online video, Mr Ituma said, “Maybe from what the governor has said that we should embrace our enemies, our opposition want to submit to us. Anybody who is not seeking in that direction should not come around Ohaukwu local government.

“Ohaukwu has been cordoned off, and anybody who dares to do that will be declared persona non grata. Anybody fighting the governor of Ebonyi state from today is my enemy and will be treated like an enemy. If you are not for APC, don’t come close to us.”