Ikpeazu’s ex-chief of staff drums support for Tinubu, tasks Govs on LGA autonomy

By Steve Oko

Former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Anthony Agbazuere, has called on his Ukwa la Ngwa kinsmen and the entire Abia electorate to throw their weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

Agbazuere, a former Commissioner for Information, made the appeal while hosting Ukwa la Ngwa stakeholders at his country home in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area. He urged those nursing presidential ambitions ahead of 2027 to allow President Tinubu to complete the South’s turn in the nation’s leadership.

Commending Tinubu’s economic policies, which he said had corrected “the economic mistakes of past administrations by removing fuel subsidy,” the constitutional law scholar urged governors to grant financial autonomy to local governments to fast-track grassroots development.

He argued that unemployment, hunger, poor infrastructure, and insecurity would be drastically reduced if councils were given control over their resources. According to him, the removal of fuel subsidy has enabled the release of more funds to states and LGAs, making autonomy crucial for meaningful development.

Highlighting some of the President’s achievements—including the creation of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), the students’ loan scheme, and a tax system designed to favour the poor and unemployed—Agbazuere said these policies would smoothen Tinubu’s re-election campaign.

He specifically appealed to Ndigbo to “totally support President Tinubu in reciprocation of his achievements in the South East,” while urging eligible voters to take advantage of the ongoing continuous voter registration exercise. He also charged APC stakeholders across the nine LGAs of Ukwa la Ngwa to deliver the clan’s votes to Tinubu in 2027.

Agbazuere further commended the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, for his unwavering support for President Tinubu and his effective representation of the South East in the National Assembly.

On state governance, Agbazuere challenged the Abia State Government to disclose the exact locations of schools it reportedly renovated with billions of naira.

Similarly, former Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Lands Development Authority (NALDA), Prince Paul Ikonne—represented by his aide, Mr. Justice Ujo—also demanded more accountability from the state government on the school renovation project. He stressed that his remarks were not politically personal but hinged on transparency.

Earlier in his remarks, the convener of the stakeholders’ meeting, Ebere Nwachukwu, said the gathering was meant to sensitize Ukwa la Ngwa people about the continuous voter registration exercise and to brief them on the party’s forthcoming congress in October 2025. He expressed confidence that the APC would take over Abia State in the 2027 elections.

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