Umahi’s Son, 28, Wins Ebonyi LG Chairmanship, Vows to Reject Salary
Osborn Nweze Umahi, the 28-year-old son of Works Minister David Umahi, has won the Ohaozara Local Government Area chairmanship election in Ebonyi State and immediately announced he will forgo his salary and allowances throughout his tenure to focus resources on development.
OHAOZARA, Nigeria – Osborn Nweze Umahi, the 28-year-old son of Nigeria’s Minister of Works and former Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi, has emerged as the chairman-elect of Ohaozara Local Government Area following Saturday’s local government election conducted by the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC). The younger Umahi contested the election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and secured victory after a campaign centred on grassroots mobilisation, economic development, and improved local administration.
Shortly after being declared the winner, the new council chairman made a pledge that has drawn significant public attention. Umahi announced that he would not collect salary or allowances throughout his tenure, stating that his decision was driven by a desire to channel the local government’s resources towards development rather than personal financial benefit. “I will neither accept any salary nor allowance as Ohaozara LGA chairman. I am coming to serve and not to enrich myself,” he said. A trained engineer and entrepreneur by background, Umahi has pledged to prioritise infrastructure development, youth empowerment, economic opportunities, and improved service delivery across Ohaozara. During his campaign, he presented himself as a representative of a younger generation of politicians, promising to bring private-sector ideas, efficiency, and innovation into local government administration. At 28, he is among a growing number of young professionals stepping into grassroots political leadership roles in Nigeria.
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After casting his vote 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, expressing hope that the peaceful atmosphere would be sustained throughout the process.
Several political leaders and government officials who participated in the election 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, similarly praised the conduct of the election and the turnout of voters, while thanking Governor Francis Nwifuru for what he described as the peaceful environment in the state. Senator Anthony Ani, representing Ebonyi South Senatorial District, described the election as a demonstration of the state’s commitment to democratic governance and urged elected officials to ensure that residents benefited from the democratic process through effective governance and accountability. Member of the House of Representatives for Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency, Kama Nkemkanma, also expressed satisfaction with voter participation, noting that the turnout showed residents remained interested in local government administration.
Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state boycotted the exercise, alleging that the process was designed to favour the ruling party. In a statement issued on Saturday, PDP Publicity Secretary Darlington Peter-Onwe called on EBSIEC to “suspend forthwith the local government election” until compliance with a subsisting order of Justice Oshomah. The party stated its position that “what EBSIEC and the Ebonyi State Government are presenting to the public as a local government election holding today, August 22, 2026, is not, in law or in fact, an election at all.” The PDP described the exercise as “a brazen assault on our democracy, a flagrant act of contempt, a continuing abuse of subsisting court process, and an exercise being conducted on a foundation the courts have already, and repeatedly, declared to be nothing.” The opposition party also questioned the tenure of local government chairmen and councillors under the Ebonyi State Local Government Law, arguing that certain provisions were inconsistent with constitutional requirements and existing judicial pronouncements. The PDP called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to intervene and formally note the development, and reserved the right to seek judicial redress over the conduct and outcome of the election.
Osborn Nweze Umahi had earlier won the APC chairmanship primaries for Ohaozara Local Government Area in January 2026, polling 55 votes to emerge as the party’s candidate after his only rival was disqualified for failing to register online in the party’s membership exercise. Following his victory, he thanked Governor Francis Nwifuru for nominating him to contest the chairmanship election, and acknowledged his father’s prayers and his siblings’ encouragement. The emerging council chairman’s political rise has attracted attention not only because of his age but also due to his pledge to adopt a development-focused approach to local government administration. His emergence is expected to heighten expectations among residents, particularly over the improvement of roads, employment opportunities, and access to essential public services across Ohaozara.