Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s bid to return to the Senate in 2027 was dealt a big blow on Monday May 11, 2026 as youths from Abia North stormed Umuahia and staged a huge demonstration against his planned third term.
The youths marched through the main streets of the Abia capital city singing protest songs and carrying banners with inscriptions expressing their opposition to any plan for Kalu to return to Senate after the 2027 general election.
However, they openly expressed their support for Dr Philips Nto, who is the main challenger of Senator Kalu for the 2027 Abia North senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kalu, who is serving his second term in the Senate has already fixed his eyes on another renewal of his mandate for a third successive term.
But the Abia North youths that converged under the banners of Old Bende Political Forum, Abia Youths Christian Assembly, and Abia North Young Professionals for Tinubu’s Mandate, expressed their total rejection of mandate renewal for Kalu.
They argued that the former Abia governor is a spent force, who is no longer suitable to remain in the Red Chamber of the National Assembly. The youths, therefore demanded that he should stop presenting himself for elective positions and give way to younger persons.
They unanimously endorsed Dr Nto to replace Kalu and take Abia North seat in the Senate, insisting that he would make a better senator for the zone than the former governor.
The protest march ended at the Abia APC Secretariat on Azikiwe Street Umuahia where they delivered their protest letter to President Bola Tinubu through the State Chairman of the party.
The letter was signed by Dr Uchenna Kalu Akpi, Mr Kingsley Olugu and Bro Vitalis Igbokwe, on behalf of the various groups seeking for an end to Kalu’s representation of Abia North in the Senate.
In the letter, the youths expressed their disenchantment with Senator Kalu, demanded that Kalu deserved to be given “the Ayade treatment” for abysmal representation. They alleged that he has turned them into modern-day slaves through phantom empowerments.
The youths appealed to President Tinubu “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”.
They explained that they embarked on the peaceful protest, respectifully appealing for presidential intervention “because we believe in the peaceful exercise of our democratic rights”.
The youths lamented that Kalu had been treating the people as a conquered entity, often boasting that the Abia North Senate seat is his for keeps.
According to them, all federal appointments given by the APC government had been appropriated by Kalu for himself and his immediate family.
The youths wondered why Kalu would want to return to the Senate for a third term while his younger brother is also vying for governor under the same APC.
They requested the president to liberate them from the senator’s political stranglehold by ensuring that Dr. Phillips Nto is given the party ticket for the senatorial election to represent Abia North.
The Abia North youths described Dr Nto as one of them who understands their problems and would be in a better position to solve them.
They stated that given his pedigree as a cerebral academic, astute administrator, and a grassroot man, Dr Phillips Nto was the best man for the job of representing Abia North senatorial district.
The Publicity Secretary of Abia APC, Chief Uche Aguoru, who represented the State Chairman addressed the protesting youths and assured them that their letter would be delivered to the designated recipient.
He also announced that the APC in the state would adopt direct primary for the selection of its candidates and promised that the party would give all aspirants a level playing field.
The Abia APC spokesman urged the youths of Abia North to remain peaceful and mobilise for their preferred aspirant ahead of the party primary.
