2027: South-east youth leaders back Orji Uzor Kalu, tackles Ogah over Abia North Senate seat

The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has backed Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s bid to retain the Abia North Senatorial District seat in 2027, while criticising the member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Amobi Ogah, over his recent call for the former governor to retire from the Senate.

Ogah had recently urged Kalu to step aside and allow a new representative to emerge for Abia North, while throwing his support behind Chief David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex as a prospective candidate for the senatorial seat. Ogah made the call during a civic reception held in his honour in Isuikwuato after his return from the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Blueprint reports

In a statement issued on Tuesday, COSEYL President-General, Comrade Goodluck Ibem, and its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Okey Nwaoru, described Ogah’s intervention as inappropriate, arguing that the choice of a senator for Abia North should be determined by voters across the senatorial district.

Group backs Kalu

COSEYL, which describes itself as a major socio-political youth organisation in the South-East, said the senatorial district comprises Arochukwu, Bende, Isuikwuato, Ohafia and Umunneochi local government areas.

The group argued that no individual representing one federal constituency should claim the authority to determine who should represent the entire senatorial district.

According to COSEYL, the decision on the Abia North Senate seat ultimately belongs to the electorate across the five local government areas and should be settled through the democratic process.

The organisation subsequently passed what it described as a “vote of confidence” in Kalu, saying the former governor had acquired experience and influence during his years in public office.

COSEYL said Kalu’s supporters believe his legislative experience would remain useful to Abia North, particularly because of the importance of seniority and networks within the National Assembly.

Ogah had called for a fresh face

Ogah’s comments that triggered the reaction were centred on the argument that Kalu had served as governor of Abia State for eight years and had also spent eight years in the Senate.

According to reports of the event, Ogah said Kalu had “tried” in public office and should now give another person an opportunity to represent the district.

He specifically identified Bourdex as the person he believed should take over the seat, describing him as capable of providing what he characterised as fresh leadership for Abia North.

Ogah also argued that democracy should accommodate rotation, transition and new perspectives, while calling on constituents in Isuikwuato, Umunneochi and the wider Abia North district to support Labour Party candidates in the 2027 elections.

He linked his support for Bourdex to what he described as the need to align legislative representation with the development agenda of Abia State Governor Alex Otti.

COSEYL cites Kalu’s record

In its response, however, COSEYL rejected the argument that Kalu’s length of service should automatically disqualify him from seeking another term.

The group said voters should assess the senator on his record, rather than simply on the number of years he has spent in elective office.

COSEYL cited projects it attributed to Kalu, including roads, schools and human-capital development initiatives, as evidence of what it described as his contributions to the district.

The organisation also referred to Kalu’s previous political relationship with the late Senator Uche Chukwumerije, who represented the district for three terms.

COSEYL argued that Chukwumerije’s 12 years in the Senate had not generated similar calls for him to leave office on the basis of tenure, adding that the decision on whether an incumbent should continue should ultimately be left to voters.

Group raises comparison with other candidates

COSEYL also questioned what it described as a double standard in the debate over longevity in the Senate.

The group referred to an unnamed Labour Party senator whom it alleged had spent about 20 years in the Senate and argued that calls for retirement should not be selectively applied.

The organisation said the argument should instead focus on legislative performance, experience and the ability of candidates to represent their constituents.

The claims about individual records and comparative performance are COSEYL’s political assertions and were not independently established in its statement.

Debate intensifies ahead of 2027

The disagreement comes as political activity around the Abia North Senate seat intensifies ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, is currently representing Abia North in the Senate, while Ogah represents Isuikwuato/Umunneochi in the House of Representatives on the Labour Party platform.

The emerging contest is also drawing attention because of the political structure of Abia North, which comprises five local government areas and includes several prominent political figures.

Recent reports indicate that different political actors and groups are already beginning to position themselves ahead of the 2027 elections, with questions around continuity, rotation, experience and fresh representation becoming part of the emerging debate.

COSEYL urges Ogah to focus on constituency

COSEYL called on Ogah to concentrate on his responsibilities as the representative of Isuikwuato/Umunneochi and allow voters across Abia North to determine who should occupy the senatorial seat.

The organisation maintained that political differences should be resolved through democratic competition rather than attempts by one political actor to speak for an entire senatorial district.

It also reiterated its support for Kalu and said it believed the senator remained qualified to seek another term.

The group’s position, however, represents its own political endorsement and does not establish the preferences of all voters across Abia North.

With the 2027 elections still ahead, the contest is expected to generate further debate among political parties, aspirants, community groups and voters in the five local government areas that make up the senatorial district.

For now, the disagreement between Ogah and Kalu’s supporters adds another layer to the emerging political contest, with one side advocating a change in representation and the other defending Kalu’s record and experience.

Ultimately, the choice of who represents Abia North in the Senate will be determined through the electoral process and the decisions of eligible voters in the district.