WHEN A LAWMAKER FORGETS THE CONSTITUTION: HON OBI AGUOCHA, ETHNIC PROFILING AND THE DANGER TO NIGERIA’S UNITY
By MANDATE 27 GROUP
INTRODUCTION: THIS IS NO LONGER ABOUT IKWUANO/UMUAHIA – IT IS A NATIONAL ALARM
What happened in Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency in the last week should concern every Nigerian from Sokoto to Bayelsa. A serving Member of the House of Representatives, Hon Obi Aguocha, through his media aide Promise Nwokocha, told a Nigerian citizen, Ikechukwu Kelvin Okorie, to “go back to Ebonyi” simply because he asked for the lawmaker’s scorecard on the two trailers of Federal Government palliative rice allocated to National Assembly members in 2023 and also called Hon Aguocha to emulate Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu who unleashed 26 transformers for communities in Bende Federal Constituency. When a representative resorts to telling non-indigenes to leave his constituency for demanding accountability, he is no longer just failing his constituency, he is assaulting Sections 41 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, which guarantee freedom of movement and freedom from discrimination based on place of origin.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL BLUNDER: IGNORANCE OF THE LAW HE SWORE TO UPHOLD
A federal lawmaker is a custodian of the Constitution. Section 42(1) is clear: No Nigerian shall be discriminated against on account of community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion. Section 41 guarantees every citizen the right to reside anywhere in Nigeria. When Promise Nwokocha, speaking for Hon Aguocha, questioned a resident’s right to criticize his principal because he is of Ebonyi origin, he violated the very document Hon Aguocha swore to defend on the floor of the Green Chamber. This is legislative illiteracy at its peak, and it disqualifies any claim to statesmanship.
THE ECONOMICS OF HATE: INSULTING THE VERY PEOPLE WHO SUSTAIN UMUAHIA’S ECONOMY
This diatribe is not just morally wrong, it is economically illogical. Umuahia’s economy is driven by non-indigenes. The Hausa community in Ubakala pays market levies, the Yoruba traders in Isi-Gate pay shop rents and taxes, the Ebonyi labourers in Ohiya build the houses and push the wheelbarrows in Orie-Ugba. To tell them to “go back” is to tell Umuahia’s Internally Generated Revenue to go back. It is economic self-sabotage born of political frustration. Benjamin Kalu in neighbouring Bende is securing 12km double-circuit power lines and 500KVA injection substations; Aguocha’s camp is securing ethnic quarrels.
THE ACCOUNTABILITY DIVERSION: FROM TWO TRAILERS OF RICE TO TRIBALISM
Nigerians must not miss the context. This ethnic attack was not unprovoked. It came after citizens demanded accountability for the over N100 million worth of palliative rice President Bola Ahmed Tinubu allocated to each National Assembly member in 2023 to cushion subsidy removal. While other lawmakers can point to distribution lists, photos, and community testimonies, Hon Aguocha has allegedly failed to provide verifiable records, with reports alleging sale to an Anambra businessman. When you cannot account for rice, you manufacture tribalism. It is the oldest trick of inept leadership: divide the people when you cannot feed the people.
THE HYPOCRISY OF A MAN WHO CRIES MARGINALIZATION IN LAGOS
This is the most damning irony. The same Hon Obi Aguocha who has rightly condemned the alleged demolition of Igbo properties in Lagos and demanded inclusion of Igbos in the National Census Commission, is now deploying the same “host community” mantra he condemned. He once said: “The so-called host community mantra is now being used to undermine constitutional rights.” Today, his own aide uses that same mantra against an Ebonyi man in Abia. You cannot cry against discrimination in Lagos while practicing discrimination in Umuahia. That is not activism, it is opportunism.
THE EBONYI TARGET AND THE THREAT TO NATIONAL COHESION
Why Ebonyi? The coalition of non-indigenes led by Comrade Emmanuel Udume has raised alarm that this is targeted profiling. Ikechukwu Kelvin Okorie, a political stakeholder who has lived, worked and voted in Abia, was told to return to Ebonyi. If an Ebonyi man can be told to leave Abia today, an Abia man can be told to leave Kano tomorrow. This is how the Rwandan Genocide started. This is how the 1966 pogroms started. A federal lawmaker should be de-escalating ethnic tension, not authorizing it via his media handlers.
LEADERSHIP BY INSULT: THE FAILURE OF REPRESENTATION
Leadership is measured by projects, not by insults. In three years in the House, what is the verifiable federal project attracted to Ikwuano/Umuahia? The much-touted Afugiri Health Centre remains audio, the 15 classroom blocks remain on paper, and the Federal Medical Centre Bill for Ikwuano is yet to receive presidential assent. Meanwhile, his media team is busy calling a 75-year-old elder a thief on Facebook Live and threatening youths who support Rt Hon Chinedum Orji. This is not representation, it is intimidation. And intimidation is the last refuge of a drowning politician.
THE SECURITY IMPLICATION: A CALL FOR GOVERNOR OTTI AND THE POLICE TO ACT
The Coalition of Non-Indigenes has formally petitioned the Abia State Government and the Abia State Police Command over alleged threats to life. Prince Adekoya of the Yoruba community said he was born and raised in Abia and has never witnessed such threats. Comrade Chukwuemeka Igwuilo warned this is capable of creating division. Governor Alex Otti, who preaches non-discriminatory governance, must call Hon Aguocha to order. The Commissioner of Police must investigate the alleged threats against Ikechukwu Kelvin Okorie. An injury to one resident is a threat to all residents.
THE IGBO SPIRIT OF HOSPITALITY BETRAYED
Igbo culture is built on “Oje mba enwe ilo” – the traveller has no enemy, and “Nwanne di na mba”. Umuahia as capital has always been a melting pot. Azikiwe welcomed all, Michael Okpara welcomed all. For a man parading as Udo Ji Agu Ohuhu to authorize the profiling of fellow Igbos from Ebonyi is a betrayal of Igbo republicanism and brotherhood. Ebonyi and Abia were one state until 1996. We share the same blood, same market, same struggle. To weaponize state of origin within the same South-East is not just insensitive, it is historically illiterate.
THE 2027 DESPERATION: WHEN PERFORMANCE FAILS, ETHNICITY BECOMES THE MANIFESTO
Every observer in Umuahia knows what is happening. With 2027 approaching and with Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji’s organic momentum growing, the Aguocha camp has become desperate. When you have no injection substation to show, no road to commission, no verifiable empowerment, you resort to ethnic profiling to distract and to suppress opposition voters. Non-indigenes vote. They are registered in Ikwuano/Umuahia. Telling them to leave is voter suppression by other means, and it is anti-democratic.
CONCLUSION: NDI IKWUANO UMUAHIA DESERVE BETTER THAN A DIVIDER
Hon Obi Aguocha should be reminded that he holds power in trust for Ndi Ikwuano Umuahia, including the Hausa, Yoruba, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom and every Nigerian who pays tax there. A lawmaker who cannot tolerate questions from his own constituents, regardless of origin, is unfit for a federal legislature. Nigeria is at a fragile moment; we need bridge-builders, not border-builders. The people of Ikwuano/Umuahia must reject this diatribe and demand an unreserved apology to all non-indigenes. Otherwise, history will record that when Nigeria needed healing, their representative chose hate.
