Youths Demand New Generation for Abia North Senate
Umuahia Youths Dema
Hundreds of youths on Monday staged a protest in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, calling on Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to step aside from elective politics and allow younger leaders to emerge in the Abia North Senatorial District.
The demonstrators, who marched through major streets in the state capital, also endorsed Dr Phillips Nto as their preferred candidate for the Abia North Senate seat.
They argued that he would offer more effective and people-oriented representation than the incumbent senator.
The protesters converged at the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat along Azikiwe Road, where they submitted a protest letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu through the state APC chairman.
In the letter, the youths expressed dissatisfaction with Kalu’s performance in office, accusing him of poor representation and alleging that his style of leadership had reduced many young people in the district to what they described as “modern-day slaves.”
The letter was jointly signed by Dr Uchenna Akpi, Mr Kingsley Olugu, and Mr Vitals Igbokwe on behalf of three groups — the Old Bende Political Forum, the Abia Youths Christian Assembly, and the Abia North Young Professionals for Tinubu’s Mandate.
The groups urged the APC leadership to deny Kalu the party’s senatorial ticket for a third term, describing his representation at the National Assembly as “abysmal” and calling for what they termed the “Ayade treatment.”
“Because we are not a conquered people, and because we believe in the peaceful exercise of our democratic rights, we respectfully appeal to you, sir, as the leader of our great party, to intervene and ensure that Orji Uzor Kalu is not given the senatorial ticket for a third term,” the letter stated.
The protesters further alleged that Kalu had treated Abia North as his personal political fiefdom, claiming that he often boasted that the Senate seat belonged to him indefinitely.
They also accused him of allegedly influencing the allocation of federal appointments under the APC-led government in favour of himself and members of his immediate family.
The groups questioned the propriety of Kalu seeking a third term in the Senate while his younger brother is also reportedly pursuing the APC governorship ticket in Abia State.
They appealed to President Tinubu to “liberate” the people of Abia North from what they described as Kalu’s political stranglehold by ensuring that Dr Nto secures the party’s ticket for the senatorial election.
According to the protesters, Nto is “one of us” who understands the plight of the people and possesses the capacity to address the district’s developmental challenges effectively.
They cited his track record as an academic, administrator, and grassroots mobiliser as key reasons he is well suited for the role.
Receiving the protesters on behalf of the state APC chairman, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Chief Uche Aguoru, assured them that their letter would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities.
Aguoru also disclosed that the APC in Abia State would adopt the direct primary system for the selection of candidates, assuring all aspirants of a transparent and level playing field.
He urged the youths to remain peaceful, law-abiding, and actively mobilise support for their preferred aspirant through legitimate democratic processes.
Efforts to reach Senator Kalu’s office for comments on the allegations were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
