By Comr. Duke C. I.
Abia State has three senatorial districts, each with its own senator. Senator Orji Uzor Kalu represents Abia North, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe represents Abia South, and Senator Austin Akobundu represents Abia Central. In the current political realities, the question that keeps popping up is why Orji Uzor Kalu’s name seems to be the only one mentioned in any open discussion. If we do a simple social experiment where members of the public, including those from other senatorial zones in the north and west, are asked to mention one Abia State senator, in nine times out of ten, the name that will pop up will be Orji Uzor Kalu.
OUK has an uncanny ability to stay relevant, not through cheap publicity stunts, but through consistent action and visible representation of his constituency. Whether he is facilitating scholarships to Chinese universities or other western countries, securing road projects, or speaking on national issues that affect not just Abia North but the entire Southeast, OUK maintains a level of visibility that keeps his constituents informed about what their senator is actually doing.
You may disagree with Senator Kalu in other things, or even dislike him, but one thing you can’t take away from him is that in Abia North, you can literally point to roads Senator Kalu has attracted or facilitated. Schools he has renovated. Scholarships he has provided. Solar streetlights he has installed. The man has turned constituency projects into an art form, with each project strategically designed to address specific needs in our senatorial district.
No matter how often you think you have heard it, it is important to keep reminding the public in conversations like this that just recently, he secured seven critical road infrastructure projects for Ohafia alone in the 2025 Federal Budget. For emphasis, we are talking about Abia Road, Akanu Ukwu Road, Isiugwu Road, Ndiorieke-Eziafor Road, Ebem Township Road, Elu Ohafia Township Road, and Okagwe-Ohafia Road. That is seven major road projects for one local government area in a single budget cycle. And this is scattered in all the communities of Abia North.
We have situations where ex-governors retire to the senate, they stay dormant to the extent that people even forget that they are still in Nigeria. But not Orji Uzor Kalu. In the hallowed chambers of the Nigerian Senate, senators are expected to participate in debates, contribute to legislation, serve and make progressive impacts through committees, and generally make their presence felt on issues of national importance. OUK doesn’t just show up, he shows out.
His contributions to debates, continuous building of a working country through developmental bills, and his ability to build relationships across party lines have made him one of the most effective senators from the Southeast region. When the Senate discusses issues affecting the Southeast, OUK’s voice is typically heard loud and clear.
In Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Abia State and indeed, South East has a true representation.
_Duke writes from Abia North_
