Chief Chidiebere J. Okoh, APC chieftain in Abia State, has responded to Chief David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex’s recent article “The Politics of Distraction: When a Man Needs an Enemy to Survive,” reaffirming Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s unrivaled political stature in Abia North. Okoh argues that Senator Kalu is “Mmiri Nyiri Enyi” – his political sagacity and extensive network – continues to be the sole force capable of delivering meaningful dividends of democracy to the region, a claim underscored by Kalu’s history of influencing positive projects in the senatorial zone..
Okoh contends that Bourdex’s critique of Kalu over alleged crusade against Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB merely exposes a desperate attempt to pitch the people against the working senator. This tactic, Okoh notes reveals Bourdex’s own weakness – relying on fear‑mongering rather than substantive policy proposals.
While Bourdex warns that “no one will use IPOB as a ladder to rig Abia North again,” Okoh retorts that such warnings ring hollow when coming from a figure who seeks to position himself as a better candidate without the requisite “clout and charisma” that Kalu wields. Okoh advises Bourdex to confine his ambitions to local government chairmanship or community leadership, roles he deems “fitting” for someone lacking the senatorial caliber required to navigate federal politics. Senatorial position is not foreign exchange business or community banking, it is a serious business that requires a level of experience to navigate the waters because every in the Chambers counts towards the good of the zone in question.
Okoh concludes that pitching Kalu against IPOB to solicit sympathy is not a strategic political move but an admission of inability to challenge Kalu’s dominance, emphasizing that Abia North’s progress hinges on Kalu’s proven leadership rather than on “political theatrics built on fear and falsehood.”
