Forget 2026 re-election: Demsa elders, youth tell council chairman Jalo

Elders and youth groups in Demsa Local Government Area have told the council chairman, Akham Jalo, to “forget any ambition” of seeking re-election in 2026, accusing him of poor performance, neglect of key communities and failure to fulfil basic campaign promises.

The groups, under the umbrella of the Demsa Community Development Forum, issued the warning at a town-hall meeting on Monday, where speakers took turns listing what they described as Jalo’s “serial leadership shortcomings”. They claimed that since assuming office, the chairman had allegedly sidelined longstanding development needs, abandoned ongoing projects and failed to maintain meaningful communication with residents.

According to the youth leader, Daniel Mbot, the entire LGA had become “a shadow of what was promised”, adding that the chairman had lost touch with the realities on ground. He accused Jalo of turning the council into a “closed shop” for political allies while ignoring repeated calls for transparency in the use of local government funds.

Elders who spoke at the forum echoed the same sentiment, insisting that Demsa had recorded “no visible progress” under the current administration. They cited poor road conditions across villages, the breakdown of primary health centres, stalled water projects and the growing frustration of farmers who feel abandoned.

Chief Polycarp Nuhu, a respected community elder, said residents had reached a consensus that Jalo’s re-election bid should be “dead on arrival” unless he immediately begins to address the decay in the system. “We will not support anyone who only remembers the people when it is convenient,” he declared.

They vowed to mobilise voters across all wards to block any attempt by the chairman to return in 2026.

As of press time, Chairman Jalo had yet to respond to the accusations, though his close aides dismissed the criticisms as “politically motivated”.