A U.S.-based community leader, Fred Eke Idika, has cautioned political actors against what he described as the dangerous drift toward theatrics and hostility ahead of Abia State’s next electoral cycle, warning that Ohafia must not be misrepresented by what he called “isolated performances.”
In a statement signed by him from Maryland, United States, Idika said while disagreement and protest remain legitimate democratic rights, political expression must not degenerate into rhetoric that invokes harm or disappearance.
“Let us be clear: disagreement is legitimate, and protest is a constitutional right. But when political expression mutates into chants invoking death or disappearance, we have abandoned civic responsibility and embraced a form of conduct that diminishes everyone involved. Such displays do not reflect courage; they reflect a collapse of reason,” he said.
Idika rejected what he described as attempts to portray a small group as representing the collective voice of Ohafia.
“The attempt to portray a small, carefully selected group of youths and women as the collective voice of Ohafia is both inaccurate and intellectually dishonest. Ohafia is not a community that trades in curses or political incantations. We are a people known for discipline, clarity of thought, and a deep respect for the sanctity of life. Nothing in our history or values aligns with the spectacle recently circulated,” he stated.
According to him, elections are practical and data-driven processes, not emotional contests.
“Elections are not spiritual contests. They are empirical exercises determined by voter registration, turnout, ward structures, and the credibility of candidates. If any public office holder has fallen short, the democratic remedy is straightforward: mobilize, persuade, and win at the polling units. Emotional performances cannot substitute for political organization.”
He warned that coordinated hostility in politics often backfires, generating sympathy for the target while weakening those orchestrating the attacks.
“Indeed, history consistently shows that coordinated hostility often produces the opposite effect generating sympathy for the target and weakening the credibility of those orchestrating the hostility. When a political movement abandons policy debate and resorts to personal attacks, it signals a lack of alternative vision,” Idika added.
The community advocate further cautioned against normalizing extreme rhetoric in political engagement.
“More importantly, normalizing death wishes in politics is a dangerous precedent. Today it may be directed at one individual; tomorrow it may be directed at anyone who dares to hold a different opinion. That is not the political culture Abia North deserves, nor is it the legacy we should leave for the next generation.”
Looking ahead to 2027, Idika expressed confidence that voters would ultimately determine outcomes based on performance and credibility, not on online noise or staged protests.
“The 2027 elections will not be decided by noise on the internet or by choreographed protests. They will be decided by rational voters, the same voters who have always assessed candidates based on performance, credibility, and the tangible impact of their work. Ohafia people, in particular, do not vote out of anger or manipulation. They vote from lived experience and collective wisdom.”
He urged political actors to focus on ideas and constructive engagement.
“Let the campaigns begin in earnest. Let candidates present their records, their ideas, and their vision for the future. Let debates replace insults. Let facts replace theatrics.
“But let us, as a community, reject the dangerous normalization of death wishes as a political tool. Democracy thrives when ballots not bitterness determine outcomes. And Ohafia, far from the misrepresentation of a few, remains committed to that higher standard of civic maturity.”
