15/08/2026
ENOUGH OF TURNING EBONYI STATE POLITICS INTO A TRIBAL CONTEST — GOOD GOVERNANCE MUST COME FIRST
There is a conversation we urgently need to have as citizens of Ebonyi State, and it is a conversation that should rise above tribe, clan, local government, political party, friendship and personal loyalty.
Politics should not be about telling people that because a particular politician comes from their community, they are automatically under an obligation to support him, defend him or vote for him irrespective of his performance in office.
Being a son or daughter of a particular community is an identity. It is not a certificate of good governance.
Being from Izzi does not automatically make someone a good governor. Being from Ezza does not automatically make someone a good leader. Being from Ikwo, Afikpo, Ohaukwu, Ebonyi South, Ebonyi North or any other part of Ebonyi State does not automatically make someone competent or incompetent.
The real question should always be:
What has the government done for the people?
What has been achieved?
What has improved?
What policies have positively affected ordinary citizens?
What has happened to education?
What about healthcare?
What about roads?
What about employment and opportunities for young people?
What about the economy of the state?
What about accountability, transparency and responsible management of public resources?
These are the questions responsible citizens should be asking.
Unfortunately, we are increasingly seeing political arguments being reduced to tribal and local-government sentiments. Some people are now being made to feel guilty simply because they question government performance or support an alternative political opinion.
That is dangerous for democracy.
If somebody says, “Support your brother because he is from your community,” my question is simple:
Are we electing a governor to represent only his local government, or are we electing a governor to govern the entire Ebonyi State?
A governor does not become governor of only Izzi, Ezza, Ikwo, Afikpo, Ohaukwu or any particular community. The governor becomes governor of the entire state.
Therefore, every Ebonyian has the legitimate right to examine the performance of government and make a political decision based on his or her own conscience.
Let us also be clear about the law.
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, protects important democratic freedoms. Section 39 protects freedom of expression. Section 40 provides for the right to freely assemble and associate, including belonging to political parties. Section 42 also provides protection against discrimination on the basis of political opinion, among other grounds.
More importantly, the Electoral Act 2022 provides important protection for the secrecy of voting. Section 50 provides that voting is conducted by open secret ballot. The Act also contains provisions against interfering with a voter or attempting to obtain information about the candidate for whom a voter is about to vote or has voted.
This is an important principle:
You can persuade me, but you cannot own my political conscience.
You can tell me why you believe your candidate deserves my vote.
You can present the achievements of your preferred candidate.
You can criticize the opposition.
You can campaign peacefully.
You can make videos.
You can organize meetings.
You can mobilize your community.
But at the end of the day, the decision belongs to the voter.
Political persuasion is part of democracy. Political intimidation is not.
There is a huge difference between saying:
“Please vote for our candidate because we believe he has performed well.”
And saying:
“You must support him because he is our brother, and anybody questioning his performance is against our people.”
The first is political persuasion.
The second mentality is dangerous because it attempts to replace accountability with tribal loyalty.
If we continue on that road, politicians will eventually stop feeling accountable to the people. Once politicians realize that their supporters will defend them regardless of performance simply because of ethnicity, clan or local government, what incentive will they have to perform better?
Democracy works when citizens are able to ask difficult questions.
Democracy works when citizens can say, “I don't agree with this government.”
Democracy works when citizens can say, “I believe another candidate can do better.”
Democracy works when citizens can examine competing candidates and make their own decision.
Democracy becomes weak when political loyalty becomes more important than good governance.
Let us therefore stop frightening people who advocate for better governance.
If someone believes the present administration has performed excellently, let that person present the evidence.
If someone believes the administration has transformed Ebonyi State, let that person list the projects, policies and measurable improvements.
If someone disagrees, let them present their own evidence.
Then let the people decide.
That is democracy.
Nobody should be attacked merely because he asks questions about government performance.
Nobody should be called an enemy of his people merely because he wants accountability.
Nobody should be told that he must vote for a particular candidate simply because that candidate comes from his local government.
And nobody should be made to feel ashamed for exercising an independent political opinion.
Ebonyi State belongs to all of us.
The roads belong to all of us.
The schools belong to all of us.
The hospitals belong to all of us.
The public institutions belong to all of us.
The state's resources belong to the people.
Therefore, the responsibility to demand good governance also belongs to all of us.
Let us stop asking only:
“Where is this candidate from?”
And start asking:
“What can this candidate do?”
Let us stop asking:
“Is he our brother?”
And start asking:
“Can he govern effectively?”
Let us stop saying:
“Support him because he is from our place.”
And start saying:
“Support whoever has the best ideas, competence, integrity, vision and capacity to serve the people.”
If a politician from my community performs well, I should be able to praise him.
If he performs poorly, I should also be able to criticize him.
That is what responsible citizenship means.
A politician is not my brother before he is a public servant. Once elected, his responsibility is to the entire state.
And if another candidate from another community presents a better vision for Ebonyi State, citizens should have the freedom to consider that candidate without being branded traitors to their communities.
We must build an Ebonyi where competence is more important than birthplace.
An Ebonyi where accountability is more important than tribal loyalty.
An Ebonyi where development is more important than political propaganda.
An Ebonyi where citizens can disagree without being threatened or intimidated.
An Ebonyi where political leaders understand that public office is a responsibility, not family inheritance.
An Ebonyi where every government knows that citizens have the right to ask:
“What have you achieved with our mandate?”
To those who genuinely support the government, continue to support it if you believe in its performance.
But please do not tell other citizens that they must support the same candidate simply because he is your brother.
And to those who oppose the government, criticize policies and performance with facts. Do not attack people because of their tribe or local government either.
Let us debate ideas, not bloodlines.
Let us compare records, not surnames.
Let us examine achievements, not ancestry.
Let us vote according to conscience, not intimidation.
Ebonyi State needs citizens who will ask questions.
Ebonyi State needs journalists and media platforms that will facilitate informed debate rather than create fear between communities.
Ebonyi State needs political leaders who can defend their records rather than depend solely on ethnic or local-government sentiments.
And above all, Ebonyi State needs citizens who understand that democracy gives them a voice.
So, whether someone comes from Izzi, Ezza, Ikwo, Afikpo, Ohaukwu or any other part of Ebonyi State, let us respect that person's right to make an independent political choice.
Your brother may deserve your vote — but he must earn it through performance, competence, character and a convincing vision for the people.
That is the standard we should demand from everyone.
Not tribe.
Not clan.
Not intimidation.
Not propaganda.
GOOD GOVERNANCE. ACCOUNTABILITY. COMPETENCE. DEVELOPMENT.
Those should be the things that determine our political choices.
EBONYI STATE IS BIGGER THAN ANY POLITICIAN, BIGGER THAN ANY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND BIGGER THAN ANY TRIBAL SENTIMENT.
Let us choose progress over sentiment.
Let us choose accountability over blind loyalty.
Let us choose development over division.
And let every citizen be free to make his or her political decision according to conscience, conviction and the evidence before them.
