A grassroots political pressure group, the Umuahia Political Forum (UPF), has unanimously adopted the Abia APC governorship candidate, Chief Eric Opah, as its sole candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
The decision was reached during the group’s enlarged executive meeting held on Saturday, 25th July, 2026. The forum comprises members from different walks of life, including pensioners, traders, commercial bus drivers, farmers, artisans and other grassroots stakeholders.
According to the group, its members played an active role in supporting Governor Alex Otti during the 2023 governorship election after holding several engagements with him before the polls. However, the forum said it had resolved to withdraw its support for the incumbent governor and back Chief Opah, citing many governance failures.
*Speaking during the meeting, members of the forum said they could no longer support a government that has failed to prioritise the welfare of ordinary Abians.
Commercial bus drivers within the group expressed dissatisfaction with the state’s bus terminal management policy. They described it as exploitative, rent seeking, and detrimental to the livelihoods of struggling Abians. They confirmed that many drivers now spend days idling away in the terminal while waiting for their turn. According to them, states like Enugu have 5 standard bus terminals, giving commuters and transport operators faster and more efficient services, unlike Abia, where there is only one terminal and private parks have been forcibly shut down, thereby placing unbearable pressure on both drivers and passengers. They warned that if private parks are not allowed to operate or more terminals are not built, many of them would die of hunger.
The forum also raised concerns over the welfare of Abia pensioners who were tricked into signing forfeiture of their entitlements to the government, while many others who were prematurely retired recently have not been paid a kobo. They also frowned at the peanuts paid as pension when many states have reviewed and increased their pension payments.
Traders and private school proprietors who are members of the forum also expressed concerns over excessive taxation. They complained that levies on small shops had risen from N6K under the previous administration to N35K while yearly tax returns for farmers is now about N1.5 million compared to N90K in 2022. They further complained that hawkers are subjected to daily heavy levies.
Civil servants in the forum equally complained about salaries, saying that Abia workers earn among the lowest in the country. They questioned why, a senior civil servant in Abia would earn less than a Grade Level 01, Step 01 cleaner in neighbouring Imo State. The group also cited high school fees in the state owned tertiary institutions as compared to other states and increasing house rents in Umuahia as additional burdens on families.
Based on these concerns, the forum said the prevailing hardship and poverty in the state, coupled with what it described as Governor Otti’s elitist style of governance and his continuous governing from his sitting room at Nvosi, informed its decision to support Chief Eric Opah. Members said they believed Opah’s private sector experience, having built businesses operating in 5 countries, better position him to govern the state, unlike Otti who only worked as a bank staff.
The Director General of the Eric Opah Campaign Organisation, Chief Charles Ogbonna, who is also a member of the forum, commended the group’s decision and said their concerns reflected the experiences of many Abians. He expressed confidence that the forum would work tirelessly towards achieving what he described as “a better Abia.”
Responding, Chief Eric Opah thanked the Umuahia Political Forum for its endorsement and pledged to lead the state with honesty, transparency and the fear of God if elected governor in 2027.
He said his ambition is driven by the desire to end divisiveness, unite Abians and provide accountable leadership. Chief Opah argued that greed often prevents governments with adequate financial resources from delivering the level of development expected by citizens, adding that public funds should be used to improve the welfare of the people rather than pursue the growth of personal business and media propaganda.
Chief Opah maintained that Abia deserves more, insisting that the projects executed by the present administration are not commensurate with the resources available to the state. He promised to run an administration anchored on integrity, transparency and prudent management of public funds.
Chief Opah was accompanied on the visit by Elder John Nwangborogwu, Dr. Ahiwe and several other dignitaries.
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