By Obinna Uballa
Tension flared at the Zone 9 Police Headquarters in Umuahia, Abia State, as youths and women from Ohafia Local Government Area staged a protest declaring their rejection of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Videos circulating online showed groups of women chanting songs accusing Kalu of offending the people of Ohafia. The protesters reportedly stood their ground despite the use of teargas by security operatives, insisting that the lawmaker representing Abia North would receive no votes from the community in 2027.
The demonstration on Tuesday followed an earlier declaration by the Ohafia Youth Association, which reportedly declared Kalu persona non grata in the area. The group linked its action to an allegation that the senator described Ohafia as an “IPOB zone” during the 2023 Abia North senatorial election.
According to the youths, the alleged remark was offensive and damaging, and exposed the community to political and security risks. They argued that the statement had lingering consequences for the image of Ohafia and its people.
Following the declaration, Kalu was said to have petitioned the Ohafia Youth Association to the Zone 9 Police Command. Members of the association honoured an invitation to the police headquarters last week and later returned in larger numbers, accompanied by elderly men and women, to restate their position.
The protesters maintained that their stance remained unchanged, arguing that the senator lacked the moral standing to seek votes in Ohafia in 2027 based on the alleged comment.
A meeting reportedly planned between the senator and youth leaders did not take place, as Kalu was said to be absent from the venue.
Police authorities advised the group to return to Ohafia, assuring them that a new date would be fixed for dialogue. The youths rejected the proposal, saying they had honoured police invitations twice and would not return again to Zone 9.
They also alleged that teargas was deployed during their latest visit, further hardening their resolve.
The protesters said they remained open to dialogue but insisted that any future engagement must take place in Ohafia, not Umuahia.
The incident has sparked reactions across social media, with political observers describing it as an early sign of tensions that could shape the political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.
