Nwifuru’s threat to opposition an invitation to anarchy — PDP

. As ADC alleges interference in INEC postings, demands clarity on officers’  redeployment

Jacob Ogodo, Abakaliki and Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt  

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ebonyi State chapter, has condemned in strong terms what it described as a reckless directive issued by Governor Francis  Nwifuru to the newly installed local government chairmen and their vice-chairmen to deal with opposition parties mercilessly.

It described the directive as an open charge to visit official hostility upon citizens for no offence beyond their choice of party.

The Chairman, Ebonyi PDP, Hon Chukwuma Igwe, made this known in a press conference in Abakaliki titled, “Re: Gov Francis Nwifuru’s incitement to make 2027 election bloody is an unpardonable executive rascality: The PDP will resist and match any assault with equal and opposite force”.

He noted that the situation was a major concern coming from the Chief Security Officer of Ebonyi State, addressed to men now vested with public authority over thirteen councils, stressing that they regard the incitement in substance of what it is, an invitation to bloodshed and avoidable hostility.

“The Ebonyi State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), condemns without reservation the reckless directive issued by Gov. Francis Nwifuru at the purported inauguration of thirteen local government chairmen and their vice chairmen at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, where the Governor charged the newly installed officeholders in terms that require no interpretation: “deal with opposition parties mercilessly.”

“This is highly concerning coming from the Chief Security Officer of Ebonyi State, addressed to men now vested with public authority over thirteen councils.

“This is not political banter; it is an open charge to visit official hostility upon citizens for no offence beyond their choice of party.

“We regard this incitement in substance as what it is, an invitation to bloodshed and avoidable hostility.

By implication, Gov. Nwifuru has repeatedly demonstrated a dangerous intolerance for democratic pluralism, escalating his rhetoric from June 15, 2026, when he threatened to “consume” the opposition, to this recent explicit official command for violent oppression.

This toxic rhetoric directly fuels actual performance and bloody manifestations across Ebonyi State.

Igwe maintained that by the conduct of the governor, he has breached his oath of office under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution and placed a permanent disqualification on his fitness to continue in office or to seek the people’s mandate again in 2027.

He submitted that democracy is not sustained by the mercy of those in power; but by the freedom to choose, to speak, and to associate, protected equally for every citizen regardless of party, religion, or persuasion.

“Governor is entitled to redefine that freedom as a favor to be withdrawn at will. A public official who conditions the peace of a community on the electoral fortunes of his party has mistaken the machinery of the State for the property of the ruling party, and this Party will not concede that ground in Ebonyi State or anywhere else.

The Chairman said the State PDP will not fret and we will not be intimidated into silence and reaffirm their resolve to resist, through every lawful, physical, and constitutional avenue open to them, any further assault upon their members or structures.

“We will meet every state-sponsored hostility with equal and opposite reactions to defend our fundamental human rights. We insist that the security agencies who witnessed this violent charge—and who have received our formal petitions on earlier incidents, including the killings in Ohaukwu and attacks on journalists—discharge their statutory duty impartially, promptly, and without regard for the political affiliation of those who invoke their protection, rather than standing by as passive spectators to executive rascality.”

Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to clarify the circumstances surrounding the recent redeployment of Electoral Officers in Rivers State and allegations of political interference ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Rivers State Chapter of the ADC made the demand during a press conference in Port Harcourt by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Chizy Enyi, on Thursday.

Enyi said the party received disturbing information indicating that seven Electoral Officers previously serving in Rivers State had been redeployed to other states, and that some of them were allegedly considered “unacceptable” to certain political interests because they were unwilling to compromise their professional independence.

He said the ADC was also concerned about allegations that subsequent postings and proposed redeployments may have been influenced by persons associated with a political grouping popularly referred to as the “Rainbow Coalition.”

“Specifically, information available to us alleges the involvement of one Uju, who is said to be playing a coordinating or supervisory role in this process and who, according to the information reaching us, has allegedly been promised influence or control over electoral operations in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area,” Enyi said.

The party’s Publicity Secretary stated that the ADC was not presenting the claims as established facts, but was asking INEC to confirm or deny them in the interest of transparency.

He listed seven questions for the Commission, including who authorised the redeployments, the official reasons for the action, the source of replacement officers, and whether any political organisation or government official made representations concerning the posting of Electoral Officers in the state.

Enyi further asked INEC whether it had knowledge of the alleged involvement of “Uju” in discussions concerning deployment of personnel, particularly in Obio/Akpor, and what safeguards the Commission has put in place to ensure independence of its officers.

Referencing recent political pronouncements ahead of 2027, Enyi said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, had boasted “with extraordinary confidence” about the expected political outcome in Rivers State.

“Every politician is entitled to express confidence in his political strength. But no politician, regardless of position or influence, should create the impression that the electoral outcome of an entire state has already been predetermined,” he said.

The ADC also raised concerns over alleged secret compilation of names for ad-hoc electoral personnel for the 2027 elections, claiming that names may be gathered through channels connected to partisan interests.

To address the concerns, Enyi said the party is demanding that INEC clarify the procedure for recruitment and selection of ad-hoc personnel, who is legally permitted to nominate names, and what safeguards exist to prevent political parties or public officials from influencing appointments.

He called on the Chairman of INEC, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Rivers State and relevant National Commissioners to urgently clarify the redeployments, investigate the allegation concerning “Uju” and Obio/Akpor, and guarantee a transparent and politically neutral process for recruitment and deployment of electoral personnel.

He also called for outright redeployment of the said Uju out of Rivers State.

“The ADC will support every lawful action taken by the Commission to strengthen the integrity of our elections. But where credible information raises questions about possible political interference with electoral administration, we will not remain silent,” Enyi said.

He urged civil society organisations, the media, religious bodies and election observers to pay close attention to preparations for the 2027 elections in Rivers State.

“Rivers State belongs to its people. The ballot belongs to the people and the power to determine who governs Rivers State belongs exclusively to the people. INEC must demonstrate, both in word and action, that it will be an impartial umpire,” he added.

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