A cross-section of stakeholders in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State are advocating for the 2026 chairmanship seat to be zoned to the Ezzagu community, citing equity, justice, and fairness. This development comes ahead of a planned solidarity rally by the All Progressives Congress (APC) on October 26, 2025, aimed at supporting the reelection of President Bola Tinubu, Governor Francis Nwifuru, and the incumbent council chairman, Mrs. Ifeoma Agwu.
The APC chairman of the council, Ikechukwu Abba, announced the rally, dubbed a “one-million-man march,” to demonstrate support for the trio’s reelection bids. However, the Concerned Stakeholders of Ishielu Local Government Area have expressed disappointment and shock at the inclusion of the incumbent chairman’s reelection in the rally’s agenda. Led by Felix Ukpabi, the group emphasized that it is the turn of Ezzagu zone to produce the next council chairman, in line with the rotational arrangement that has guided the local government for years.
Ukpabi argued that endorsing the incumbent chairman would undermine this arrangement and disregard the aspirations of the Ezzagu zone. The group urged stakeholders to reject this imposition and respect the zoning arrangement, which they believe is a principle of fairness and equity. Although they support the reelection of President Tinubu and Governor Nwifuru, they are adamant that the next chairman should come from the Ezzagu zone.
As the race for the council position heats up, a veteran journalist and former Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ebonyi State Council, Comrade Benjamin Nworie, has emerged as a front-runner. Nworie, who also served on the Governing Board of the Ebonyi Broadcasting Cooperation, aims to address the marginalization of the Ezzagu zone, which he claims has lacked basic social amenities like roads, electricity, water, and hospitals for over two decades.
Nworie’s aspiration is also focused on consolidating the achievements of Governor Nwifuru’s government in the council area. With the 2026 chairmanship election approaching, the debate over zoning and the rotational arrangement is likely to continue, with stakeholders like the Concerned Stakeholders of Ishielu Local Government Area pushing for a candidate from the Ezzagu zone to take the reins.