By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has taken the former Abia State Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to the cleaners, describing him as politically unsophisticated and ‘kindergarten’ not comparable to Labour Party (LP) 2023 Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.

OYC’s reaction came in the wake of the recent claim by Kalu on Channels TV, that he was the most important politician from the South-East zone – far more important than Obi.

In a statement issued on Sunday, OYC National President, Comrade Igboayaka O Igboayaka, questioned Orji Uzor Kalu's decision to appear on Channel TV and discuss Peter Obi.

Kalu had said during the media chat: “Peter is not my leader. I’m the most important politician from the South-East zone. I have won two states in 2007 under the Progressive People's Alliance (PPA).

"I have run for president before. My 4.9 million votes are still there since 2007. I achieved a lot with PPA. We had ministers, ambassadors, and several appointments under President Yar’Adua."

Igboayaka urged the former Abia governor to desist from media engagements that are causing him embarrassment, noting that Orji Uzor Kalu is unable to rival Peter Obi's level of political influence, acceptability and popularity in the South-East and Nigeria at large.

His words: "Orji Uzor Kalu should humble himself and endeavor to gain and learn political popularity and acceptability from Mr. Peter Obi.

"Peter Obi is a trailblazer as the first politician from Igboland, both living and deceased, to have secured victories in five Southeast states during a presidential election.”

OYC stated that Obi has also made history as the first opposition presidential candidate to have won in Lagos and Abuja against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

It further noted that Obi has distinguished himself as the first Nigerian politician to have built a robust nationwide support base across the 36 states, affectionately referred to as the "Obidient Movement".

"Mr. Peter Obi is the only politician in Nigeria who has motivated electorates to participate in voter registration. Peter Obi has become a political institution, redeeming hope in Nigeria's electoral system and voting process.

“The Nigerian populace had become disillusioned with voting and electioneering, however, Peter Obi proved to be a political magnet, attracting Nigerians to the voting system.

Unfortunately, Nigeria's political system allows mediocre ones like Orji Uzor Kalu, incompetent political shenanigans, political profiteers and looters to dance a dance of shame in our political cycle.

"In a decent and working state Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu should be moving in shame on the street with his mask,” OYC said.

It rejected the notion from Orji Uzor Kalu that the PPA emerged victorious in two states, characterizing it as an erroneous narrative that stemmed from electoral malpractices engineered by Professor Maurice Iwu, “who served as Chairman of the most corrupt Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the time.”

“Similarly, in Imo State, the People's Democratic Party (PDP), due to internal conflicts, adopted the Progressive People's Alliance (PPA) as their platform, resulting in Ikedi Ohakim's emergence as the winner of the 2007 Imo gubernatorial election,” OYC noted.

It declared that Kalu cannot secure victory in any credible and transparent election within his home base of Abia state, the Southeast, and Nigeria as a whole.

OYC lambasted Kalu, cautioning him to prepare for his forthcoming political retirement in 2027, in light of the burgeoning ballot revolution driven by the Obidient Movement across Nigeria.

“Kalu,” according to OYC, “should be cognizant that Nigerians' last hope hinges on Mr. Peter Obi's 2027 presidential project, which will entail a defensive Ballot Revolution across Nigeria's 36 states.

“Orji Uzor Kalu must recognize that Peter Obi's name will appear on the ballot in 2027, under any available party platform.

“Furthermore, any individual or group considering electoral manipulation and rigging in 2027, should be aware that they risk plunging Nigerians into a crisis comparable to Somalia.”