Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Tension escalated at the Police Zone 9 Headquarters in Umuahia, Abia State, on Wednesday as youths and women from Ohafia Local Government Area demonstrated against Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the incumbent representative for Abia North, expressing their refusal to support his political ambitions in the run-up to the 2027 general elections. The standoff drew national attention and highlighted deepening political fault lines within the state ahead of the next electoral cycle.
The protest, largely peaceful in intent but volatile in execution, unfolded when a substantial group of young people and women marched to the police headquarters in Umuahia, carrying placards and voicing chants denouncing the senator. Their core message was emphatic: Senator Kalu “would not receive a single vote” from Ohafia in the forthcoming elections. Security operatives responded with tear gas in an effort to disperse the gathering, but demonstrators held their ground for an extended period, defying the dispersal attempts and insisting that their grievances be heard.
Organisers of the demonstration pointed to a series of grievances stemming from remarks allegedly made by Senator Kalu during the 2023 senatorial election season. The Ohafia Youth Association had earlier declared the senator persona non grata in the area, a decision attributed to remarks they interpreted as defamatory, including an alleged reference to Ohafia as an “IPOB zone”. The Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) is a separatist movement that remains proscribed by the Nigerian government, and any association with it carries significant political stigma within mainstream Nigerian politics. Protest leaders described the senator’s alleged comment as offensive and politically damaging, asserting that it undermined the dignity of the Ohafia community and eroded trust between local constituents and their elected representative.
Senator Kalu, a former governor of Abia State and a prominent figure within the All Progressives Congress (APC), has yet to issue a detailed response to the latest wave of protest. In the past, however, he has publicly denied claims of divisive rhetoric and emphasised his commitment to peace, development, and unity across Abia North. Kalu’s political record in the region includes a long tenure in public office and a history of both support and criticism from various quarters. Some local political actors and observers have noted that underlying tensions in parts of Abia — including Ohafia — are shaped not solely by rhetoric but also by broader contests over leadership, development priorities and control of political capital within the state.
Local police authorities in Umuahia sought to manage the situation by urging protesters to return to Ohafia to continue dialogue on neutral ground. They assured organisers that another meeting with relevant stakeholders could be arranged, though this proposed engagement would occur outside the confines of the police zone. The decision to use tear gas, police officials said, was aimed strictly at preventing the situation from deteriorating into open conflict within the state capital.
Political commentators point out that the demonstration reflects broader dynamics in Abia State, where political alliances are shifting in anticipation of the 2027 elections. Senator Kalu and other senior figures from the state have been actively positioning themselves within the national and local political landscapes. Recent reporting indicates that he has been consolidating his support base within the APC and distancing himself from certain alliances at the state level, moves that may be contributing to rising tensions among grassroots supporters with differing aspirations.
In addition to electoral strategy, the protest signals a palpable sense of political agency among youth and women in Ohafia. These groups have mobilised not simply around party politics but around their broader sense of community identity and representation. By rejecting Senator Kalu’s candidacy and publicly asserting they will not vote for him, the demonstrators have injected a populist element into the electoral discourse, seeking to shape the terms of political engagement on their own terms.
Reactions to the incident have been mixed across both local and regional political arenas. Some civil society actors have called for restraint and emphasised the need for structured dialogue between political leaders and constituents. Others, including youth groups beyond Ohafia, have framed the protest as a legitimate expression of democratic sentiment, a view that underscores citizens’ right to hold their representatives accountable.
Conversely, supporters of the senator have sought to counter the narrative emerging from the protests. A coalition of youth leaders from Nigeria’s South East geopolitical zone publicly condemned what they characterised as politically motivated attacks against Senator Kalu, arguing that many of the allegations levelled against him were either unsubstantiated or orchestrated by opponents seeking to undermine stability in Abia North. They challenged demonstration organisers to provide credible evidence to support claims that the senator had made disparaging remarks about the Ohafia community. Their intervention illustrates how political mobilisation around the issue has extended beyond local boundaries and into broader regional debates about representation and governance.
The unfolding situation raises questions about the stability of political alliances and the capacity of institutions to mediate electoral disputes. Nigeria’s 2027 general elections are expected to be intensely competitive, with heightened scrutiny on candidate conduct, voter mobilisation and the role of youth in shaping electoral outcomes. In this context, tensions such as those in Umuahia exemplify the volatility inherent in political transitions, particularly in regions where historical grievances intersect with contemporary political ambitions.
As the protest concluded and demonstrators eventually dispersed, many vowed to sustain their stance ahead of future campaigns and engagements. Organisers indicated they would continue to advocate for their community’s interests and resist any attempts to marginalise them in the political process. Security agencies have pledged to ensure law and order as the situation evolves, while political actors prepare for what promises to be a highly contested election year in Abia State and beyond.
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