2027: Bourdex Challenges OUK, Says Abia North Senate Seat Belongs To The People

The Labour Party candidate for Abia North Senatorial District, Chief Dr David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex MFR, OON, has declared that the 2027 senatorial election must be about representation, performance, accessibility and accountability, insisting that the Senate seat belongs to the people and not to any individual.

Bourdex made the declaration while speaking on the fifth episode of BOURDEX HOUR, a radio programme simulcast on Flo FM, Magic FM and Masters FM, following the commencement of the formal campaign season.

According to him, the political environment has changed since the programme began, noting that the earlier episodes deliberately focused on ideas, development and the possibilities available to the people because formal campaigns had not commenced.

With the campaign now underway, Bourdex said the time had come for voters to critically examine the records of those seeking their mandate and determine whether Abia North has received the quality of representation it deserves.

He declared: “Abia North deserves more. The Senate seat of Abia North is not a throne. It is not an entitlement. It is not an inheritance. It belongs to the people of Abia North.”

‘It Does Not Belong To Orji Kalu’

Bourdex directly challenged former Governor and former Abia North Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, popularly known as OUK, over his reported ambition to return to the Senate in 2027.

He acknowledged Kalu’s right to seek another term but argued that the former governor and senator should be judged by his previous records and achievements in public office.

Bourdex questioned what additional objectives Kalu now intends to accomplish that could not be achieved during his previous years of service, asking what new ideas he is bringing to the people.

He particularly criticised the argument that Kalu wants to return to the Senate because he has been promised the position of Senate President.

According to Bourdex, such an argument shifts attention away from the needs of Abia North and towards personal political ambition.

He described the argument as a “laughable excuse”, insisting that the fundamental question should be what the people of Abia North stand to gain from whoever receives their mandate.

Bourdex further declared: “No one in his right mind will make me Senate President of the Nigerian Senate. Perhaps in his dream, just perhaps.”

Bourdex Challenges OUK To A Record-Based Contest

Rather than turning the 2027 contest into a personal confrontation, Bourdex challenged all candidates to place their records, ideas and understanding of the constituency before the electorate.

He urged voters to compare the accessibility and performance of the candidates, as well as their understanding of the challenges confronting communities across Abia North.

According to him, the people should be allowed to determine whether they are satisfied with the existing representation or desire a new direction.

Bourdex said his interest in the Senate is driven by his belief that representation must translate into presence, accessibility and effective advocacy, particularly in connecting communities with opportunities at the federal level and beyond.

He maintained that he does not claim entitlement to anyone’s vote but intends to earn the mandate through direct engagement with communities.

“I intend to earn it community by community, word by word, local government by local government, idea by idea, vote by vote,” he said.

‘Our Strength Must Never Be Violence’

As the campaign begins in earnest, Bourdex also called on his supporters to conduct themselves peacefully, insisting that the strength of his campaign would come from its message, organisation, numbers and ability to persuade voters.

He urged supporters to peacefully engage their neighbours, families and communities and to ensure that the 2027 election is conducted without violence, intimidation or abuse.

Bourdex said the views of farmers, traders, teachers, young people and families should form part of the conversation about the future of Abia North.

He asked voters to critically consider whether the constituency is satisfied with its current representation or whether better possibilities exist.

‘Abia North Deserves Better’

Bourdex maintained that a candidate who has enjoyed multiple opportunities to serve should be assessed on what was achieved with the mandates entrusted to him.

He argued that the interests of Abia North should take precedence over personal and family political interests, adding that the people have the constitutional right to decide whether to maintain the existing political order or choose an alternative.

“We are not bothered by OUK or his political shenanigans. We understand the task ahead, and we are fully prepared for it,” Bourdex declared.

He expressed confidence that the people of Abia North would have the opportunity in 2027 to make a decisive political choice.

Concluding, Bourdex declared that “a Senate seat is not a monarchy” and that representation is a responsibility rather than an entitlement.

He said he was ready to take his message to the people across Abia North and seek their mandate through peaceful democratic engagement.

“A new Abia North is possible, and the journey has begun with me as the incoming senator,” he declared.