A political moment in Abia State has become one of the biggest talking points ahead of the 2027 elections after a crowd repeatedly chanted Peter Obi’s name while Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, was campaigning for President Bola Tinubu.
The incident happened during the Item Okpi cultural festival, where Kalu appealed to residents to support Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
The Deputy Speaker praised the President and urged the audience to vote for him in 2027, highlighting development projects and federal institutions expected to benefit the South-East.
But things took an unexpected turn when members of the crowd began chanting, “Obi! Obi!” Their voices reportedly became louder as Kalu attempted to continue his speech and even countered with the APC campaign song.
A video of the incident quickly attracted attention online, with social media users debating whether the reaction reflected the political mood in the region.
Kalu subsequently appeared to question whether some of those chanting were actually from the community.
The moment is particularly significant because Peter Obi, now the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, remains a major political figure in the South-East.
Although one crowd’s reaction cannot determine an election result, the incident has provided a memorable snapshot of the challenges facing Tinubu’s campaign in the region.
