A tripartite team comprising the All Progressives Congress (APC), the OUK Movement, and the Reality Organization has strongly condemned a recent attack on Senator Orji Uzor Kalu by a group of individuals claiming to be leaders of Ohafia youths in Abia State.
The team described the publication and radio announcements against the Senator as misguided, baseless, and anchored on outright falsehood, warning that such actions were capable of inciting tension and undermining communal peace in Ohafia.
Equally condemning the attack were the Udumeze Ohafia, the traditional ruler, Ezie Awa Orji Udonsi, and the President-General of the Ohafia Improvement Union (OIU) Worldwide, Prince Kalu Ikpemini.
The controversy followed a statement allegedly signed by Obasi Kalu Obasi and Onyekachi U. Uduma, who claimed to be Chairman and Secretary of a youth association, accusing Senator Kalu of branding Ohafia as an Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) zone and declaring him no longer welcome in the community.
In response, the Tripartite Team, led by Prince Emma Nwosu and joined by Comrade Chidi Ukoha, Abrus Onwuka Olua, Princess Ifeoma Okereke, Mbila Uma Ayi, and Joe Emmanuel, paid a formal visit to the Udumeze Ohafia in the presence of the Eze-Agba (Prime Minister) of Ohafia. The delegation officially lodged a complaint and presented what they described as the true facts surrounding the matter.
During the visit, the team roundly condemned the statements against Senator Kalu, insisting that those behind them lacked the legitimate mandate or authority to speak on behalf of the Ohafia community. They emphasized that Senator Kalu remains a widely respected leader and statesman, whose contributions to Ohafia, Abia State, and the nation are well documented.
The Udumeze Ohafia expressed strong disapproval of the actions of the group, describing the outburst as unacceptable and inimical to communal harmony. The traditional institution assured that such matters would not be allowed to fester or threaten peace in the area.
The delegation also visited the President-General of the Ohafia Improvement Union Worldwide, Prince Kalu Ikpemini, who expressed deep displeasure and outright condemnation of the actions of the so-called youth association. He pledged to immediately call the youths and their leadership to order, stressing that no unauthorized or expired body has the right to issue pronouncements on behalf of the Ohafia people.
The meeting further warned that any continued attempt to impersonate, misinform, or malign respected leaders would attract appropriate traditional, community, and legal consequences.
Meanwhile, the Udumeze Ohafia in-council, the highest traditional authority in Ohafia, issued a formal statement titled, “Re-proclamation of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu as ‘Persona Non Grata in Ohafia’,” signed by Chief Imo Ukwa Imo, S.A. Media, Publicity and Protocol to the Council.
The Council chided those who issued the proclamation for overstepping their bounds, noting that Sections 39, 40, and 41 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) guarantee freedom of expression, association, and movement to all citizens.
“The Udumeze Ohafia ancient kingdom, Ezie Ohamoha, Elder Away Orji Udonsi, and the Council of Ohafia monarchs, custodians of the Ohafia people at home and in the Diaspora, her institutions and organs, condemn in strong terms the said proclamation by the Ohafia Youth Association,” the statement read in part.
The Council declared the proclamation null and void and of no effect, describing it as obstructive to the Constitution and inimical to peace and order.
Reaffirming its commitment to stability and development, the Udumeze Ohafia assured the public that it would continue to uphold harmony, peace, and progress across the Ohafia community.
