Join our Telegram group and receive breaking and trending news updates directly on your phone.
Join for News Updates ✕
By Correspondent in Abakaliki.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
(C) The Sun
Two prominent figures in Ebonyi State have thrown their weight behind the bid of Orji Uzor Kalu to return to the Senate in 2027, urging the people of Abia North Senatorial Zone to give the lawmaker another opportunity to represent them.
A former member of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr. Paul Ogbonna, and a former labour leader, Mr. Leonard Nkah, made the call in Abakaliki on Tuesday while reacting to growing political permutations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kalu, who represents Abia North in the Nigerian Senate, was first elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2023.
Our correspondent reports that the former governor of Abia State has reportedly indicated interest in seeking another term in 2027 amid interest from other aspirants across political parties.
Ogbonna, who represented Ivo State Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly between 2003 and 2007, said the people of Abia North stand to benefit more if Kalu is returned to the Senate.
He explained that unlike executive offices, legislative positions often benefit from continuity and experience, noting that many advanced democracies encourage long-serving lawmakers to deepen legislative competence for the benefit of their constituents.
“A constituency that boasts of a lawmaker representing it for many years should count itself lucky,” Ogbonna said.
According to him, Kalu’s national and international exposure places him in a position to attract development to the zone, stressing that the former governor had already distinguished himself in public service.
He added that even during his tenure as governor, Kalu executed several infrastructural projects in the Abia North area and has built a reputation that transcends partisan politics.
Ogbonna further urged the people of the South-East to elect experienced and stable individuals to represent them at the National Assembly.
“Anyone from Abia North Senatorial Zone seeking to replace Orji Uzor Kalu should examine whether they can match his credentials and political experience,” he said.
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Ebonyi State, Mr. Leonard Nkah, said Kalu deserves another opportunity to continue representing the zone in the Senate.
Nkah, who also served as President of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ebonyi Chapter, described the senator as a bold and result-oriented lawmaker.
According to him, Kalu’s wide network of national contacts could help attract more democratic dividends to Abia North if he secures another mandate.
“He is bold, audacious and a goal-getter—qualities required of a member of the National Assembly,” Nkah said.
He noted that although he sometimes disagrees with some of the senator’s views on national issues, Kalu’s overall performance in the Senate remains commendable.
“I like Orji Kalu. He is visible in the National Assembly and in the Nigerian media space. In the current Senate, he is in the first eleven and should naturally be allowed to go again,” he added.
Nkah therefore urged the people of Abia North to reciprocate what he described as effective representation by supporting Kalu’s third-term bid in 2027.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
