Osborne Umahi, son of Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has emerged as the chairmanship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Ohaozara Local Government Area in the forthcoming council elections in Ebonyi State.
Umahi clinched the party’s ticket unopposed, securing all 54 votes cast by accredited delegates during the APC primary election held at Obiozara Primary School in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area. The peaceful conduct of the exercise underscored the party’s internal consensus in the council area ahead of the local government polls.
The primary election was supervised by an electoral committee chaired by the Deputy State Chairman of the APC in Ebonyi State, Alphonsus Nwali. Declaring the result, Nwali announced Osborne Umahi as the duly nominated chairmanship candidate of the party, having emerged as the sole aspirant and garnered the full support of the delegates.
Addressing party members shortly after the declaration, Nwali commended the people of Ohaozara for their consistent loyalty to the APC in previous national and state elections. He said the outcome of the primary reflected the confidence of party stakeholders in the candidate and the collective desire to consolidate the party’s presence at the grassroots level.
“The All Progressives Congress remains committed to transparency, internal democracy and the emergence of leaders who are prepared to deliver tangible development to the people,” Nwali said. “The process that produced our candidate today reflects the unity and maturity of the party in Ohaozara, and we are confident that this will translate into electoral success.”
He assured party members and residents of the local government that the APC would continue to prioritise leadership recruitment based on competence, vision and the ability to deliver dividends of democracy at the local level.
In his acceptance speech, Osborne Umahi expressed gratitude to party leaders, delegates and supporters for the confidence reposed in him. He pledged to run an inclusive and development-driven administration if elected, with a strong focus on infrastructure, agriculture and youth empowerment.
Umahi identified road infrastructure as a major priority of his proposed administration, noting that poor access roads have continued to limit economic activities in many rural communities within Ohaozara Local Government Area. He said his vision includes the construction and rehabilitation of roads linking villages, farmlands and markets to facilitate the evacuation of agricultural produce and boost local commerce.
“My administration will place emphasis on massive road development, especially roads that connect our farmlands to markets,” he said. “This is critical to improving the livelihoods of our farmers, reducing post-harvest losses and stimulating economic growth across the local government.”
Beyond infrastructure, the APC candidate pledged to introduce policies and programmes aimed at empowering young people through skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and access to opportunities. He said youth empowerment would be central to his agenda, given the demographic strength and economic potential of young people in the area.
“We must create an environment where our youths are productive, engaged and hopeful about the future,” Umahi said. “Our policies will be tailored towards equipping them with skills, supporting small businesses and ensuring that they can contribute meaningfully to the development of Ohaozara.”
The event also drew the presence of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who addressed party members and supporters following his son’s emergence as the APC candidate. The former Ebonyi State governor expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing him as Minister of Works, describing the opportunity as a platform to contribute to national development.
Senator Umahi also thanked Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, for what he described as his support and leadership within the party, as well as party stakeholders who endorsed his son’s candidacy for the chairmanship position.
He assured residents of Ohaozara that Osborne Umahi would remain committed to the promises he outlined during his acceptance speech, particularly in the areas of infrastructure development, agriculture and youth empowerment.
“I align myself fully with his programme of opening up rural roads, especially those leading to farmlands and markets,” the minister said. “He will establish agricultural clusters and create opportunities that will empower our youths and make them economically independent.”
According to the minister, the proposed agricultural clusters would serve as hubs for processing, storage and value addition, enabling farmers to earn better returns while creating jobs for young people. He added that such initiatives would help to reposition Ohaozara as a centre of agricultural productivity within Ebonyi State.
Senator Umahi further expressed confidence in his son’s leadership capacity, saying that the younger Umahi would bring energy, vision and discipline to governance at the local government level.
“He will introduce programmes that ensure our youths are gainfully employed,” he said. “Under his leadership, Ohaozara will witness positive change, and the people will be proud of the direction of governance in the local government.”
In his remarks, the Minister of Works also called on residents of the South-East to continue to support President Bola Tinubu, arguing that the current administration has made efforts to address long-standing issues of marginalisation and neglect in the region.
He noted that federal interventions in infrastructure and appointments, including his own role as Minister of Works, demonstrate the administration’s commitment to national inclusion and development. According to him, sustained engagement and cooperation remain key to unlocking further opportunities for the South-East.
The emergence of Osborne Umahi as the APC’s Ohaozara chairmanship candidate comes as political activities intensify ahead of the Ebonyi State council elections. Local government polls are widely seen as critical to grassroots development, as councils serve as the closest tier of government to the people.
Political observers note that the APC’s strategy in Ohaozara reflects a broader effort to consolidate its influence at the local level by presenting candidates with strong party backing and development-focused agendas. As the election approaches, attention will be on how candidates across parties articulate solutions to pressing local challenges, including infrastructure deficits, unemployment and service delivery.
For residents of Ohaozara, the coming weeks are expected to be marked by heightened political engagement, with stakeholders evaluating the programmes and promises of candidates vying to lead the local government. Whether the APC’s candidate will translate party unity and ambitious pledges into electoral victory remains to be determined at the polls.
