Teargas, Rigidity At Zone 9 As Youths, Girls Vow Senator Orji Kalu ‘Gained’t Get Our Votes’ in 2027

There was drama and heightened stress on the Police Zone 9 Headquarters in Umuahia as youths and girls from Ohafia reportedly stood their floor regardless of being dispersed with teargas, insisting that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is not going to obtain their votes within the 2027 normal elections.

The protest stems from an earlier declaration by the Ohafia Youth Affiliation (OYA), which reportedly declared the Abia North lawmaker persona non grata within the space over allegations that he referred to Ohafia as an “IPOB zone” in the course of the 2023 Abia North Senatorial election.

Recall that following the declaration, the senator representing Abia North petitioned the Ohafia Youth Affiliation to the Zone 9 Command.

Final week, members of the affiliation appeared on the police headquarters in response to an invite over the petition. Nonetheless, tensions escalated after they returned once more, this time in bigger numbers, accompanied by aged women and men insisting that their place stays unchanged.

In keeping with the protesters, the alleged “IPOB zone” remark in 2023 was deeply offensive and politically damaging. They argued that primarily based on that declaration, the senator has “no ethical standing” to return to Ohafia in 2027 to canvass for votes.

A gathering reportedly scheduled between the senator and youth leaders couldn’t maintain because the lawmaker was stated to not be current on the venue.

Police authorities requested the protesters to return to Ohafia, assuring them that one other date can be communicated for a recent assembly.

Nonetheless, the youths insisted they’d already honoured invites to Zone 9 twice and wouldn’t return once more, particularly after claiming they have been teargased in the course of the newest go to.

They maintained that they continue to be open to dialogue however on the situation that any future engagement be held in Ohafia, not in Umuahia.

The scenario continues to generate reactions throughout Abia North, with political observers noting that the event could form early narratives forward of the 2027 elections.