Umahi’s son enters Ebonyi LG Chairmanship race

Osbourne Umahi, son of the immediate past Governor of Ebonyi State and current Minister of Works, David Umahi, has declared his intention to contest for the chairmanship of Ohaozara Local Government Area under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The 27-year-old aspirant reportedly obtained the party’s nomination and expression of interest form, said to be sold for N30 million, over the weekend.

Umahi was accompanied by a large crowd of supporters to the APC state secretariat in Abakaliki, where he was received by members of the party’s State Executive Committee, led by the state chairman, Stanley Okoro-Emegha, according to The PUNCH.

Speaking at the event, Okoro-Emegha described Umahi as a promising young politician and businessman, expressing confidence in his ability to positively impact the development of Ohaozara Local Government Area if elected.

Addressing party faithful, Osbourne Umahi thanked the people of Ohaozara for what he described as their overwhelming support, assuring them that he would not betray the trust placed in him.

He said his administration, if elected, would focus strongly on youth empowerment, stressing that young people remained central to sustainable development. He also pledged to sustain the infrastructure legacy associated with his father’s administration across the local government.

The APC local government primaries in Ebonyi State are scheduled to hold on January 25, 2026.

Umahi’s entry into the race comes amid growing public debate over the party’s decision to peg its chairmanship nomination form at N30 million, a figure many Nigerians have described as excessive, especially when weighed against the country’s N70,000 monthly minimum wage.

Addressing the controversy, APC Ebonyi State Chairman, Stanley Okoro-Emegha, told journalists in Abakaliki that the form price was discussed during a closed-door meeting involving party officials from across the state.

According to BusinessDay, the meeting was attended by the party’s 13 local government chairmen and 171 ward chairmen and secretaries.

Okoro-Emegha explained that the meeting was convened to brief party executives on upcoming APC programmes and to ensure effective coordination across all levels of the party ahead of future political activities in the state.

David Umahi, a former two-term governor of Ebonyi State, was appointed Minister of Works by President Bola Tinubu and was sworn into office on August 21, 2023.