SPF Hails Senator Kalu’s Developmental Legacy as a Better Path than Obi’s Austerity Politics • Urges Ohaneze Youth to Shun Divisive Politics and Embrace Strategic Engagement for Southeast Progress

The Southeast Progressive Forum (SPF), a prominent socio-political organization, has called for a major re-evaluation of leadership direction in Igboland, emphasizing the need for pragmatic and development-focused politics. The group lauded Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s record of bridge-building and tangible achievements, describing it as a strong and credible alternative to what it termed Mr. Peter Obi’s politics of austerity.

In its detailed statement, the Forum urged the Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Wing and other influential youth groups to move away from emotional, social media–driven partisanship and instead adopt a strategic, non-partisan engagement with Nigeria’s political system. According to SPF Chairman, Mazi Chijioke Nwosu, Senator Kalu’s leadership embodies practical governance rooted in negotiation, experience, and results.

> “The time for political romanticism is over,” Nwosu stated. “Our youth must now look beyond rhetoric and ask: who has built the roads, who has funded the schools, and who has negotiated real benefits for our people? The record clearly points to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, whose achievements speak louder than slogans.”

The Forum outlined Kalu’s notable record as Abia State governor and as a ranking senator, emphasizing his investment in infrastructure and human capital rather than mere austerity measures.

> “When Kalu assumed office in 1999, he inherited a state struggling for basic development,” the statement read. “He chose to build, not to hoard. His free education policy and massive road construction program opened up communities and revived Abia’s economy. That is the legacy of true governance.”

SPF cited Kalu’s infrastructural drive in Aba, improved healthcare delivery, and educational reforms as examples of tangible progress, contrasting them with what it described as the “celebrated but stagnant” austerity measures of Mr. Obi’s administration in Anambra State.

> “Prudence is a virtue,” Nwosu said, “but when it leads to developmental paralysis, it becomes a vice. Saving money without investing in people is not governance—it is abdication of responsibility.”

The Forum also revisited Kalu’s political strides, particularly the founding of the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA), which won gubernatorial elections in both Abia and Imo States—an achievement SPF described as “a product of strategic intelligence, not social media noise.”

As a senator, the group noted, Kalu has demonstrated exceptional skill in building alliances across Nigeria’s diverse political landscape to secure projects and appointments for the Southeast.

> “He has consistently used his influence to bring federal presence to the region and ensure Ndigbo have a strong voice at the national table,” the Forum stated. “That is the art of governance—quiet negotiation that delivers results.”

In contrast, SPF’s statement criticized Mr. Obi’s legacy and movement, describing them as emotionally charged but strategically counterproductive.

> “The Obi model of governance may have projected fiscal discipline, but it did so at the expense of growth,” the statement asserted. “Leaving billions in state coffers while hospitals decay and schools decline is not prudence—it’s missed opportunity.”

SPF argued that the ‘Obidient’ political movement, despite energizing young people, fostered a form of political isolationism that weakened the Southeast’s bargaining power in national politics.

> “The 2023 movement, though passionate, created an echo chamber that alienated Ndigbo from critical alliances,” the Forum said. “Real power in Nigeria comes from coalition-building, not online enthusiasm.”

Addressing the youth directly, the SPF urged them to channel their energy into pragmatic politics focused on results, not sentiment.

> “Your passion is the fuel of our future,” Nwosu declared. “But it must be guided by wisdom. Support leaders who build, not just those who inspire hashtags. Judge by performance, not populism.”

The Forum warned against premature calls for a “Ballot Revolution” in 2027, describing them as distractions from the hard work of building enduring political structures.

> “Supporting Senator Kalu is not about party loyalty,” Nwosu clarified. “It is about endorsing a proven performer who understands that compromise and negotiation are tools of progress, not weakness.”

Concluding, the SPF appealed for a united, pragmatic approach to Southeast politics anchored in evidence-based leadership.

> “The choice before Ndigbo is clear,” the statement concluded. “Do we embrace austerity that halts development and isolates us, or do we stand behind a tested leader who builds, unites, and delivers? For the Southeast Progressive Forum, that leader is Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. We call on our youth to join in shaping a stronger, more prosperous future for our region.”

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Media Contact:
Dr. Onukwufo Makaudo
Director of Communications
Southeast Progressive Forum (SPF)
Awka, Anambra State

About SPF:
The Southeast Progressive Forum is a non-partisan body of professionals, community leaders, and policymakers committed to promoting pragmatic leadership, economic growth, and strategic integration of the Southeast in Nigeria’s national development.