Politics
Rep. Aguocha: The politician who dares to stand against injustice
Many people do not know him; his name is Obi Aguocha. He is a Nigerian politician and a member of the 10th National Assembly, representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/South Federal Constituency of Abia State on the ticket of the Labour Party (LP).
Aguocha contested in the February 25, 2023, House of Representatives election for Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia State, against the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and incumbent Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Chinedum Orji, and comfortably defeated him.
Recall that Orji is the son of former governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji. Before the 2023 general election, Aguocha was a highly rated politician and a former gubernatorial aspirant.
During the 2023 general election, he polled 48,199 votes to defeat Orji, who scored 35,195 votes.
Aguocha’s victory over Orji was one of the major political upsets in the Nigerian political landscape, propelled by the Peter Obi wave, the presidential candidate of LP in the 2023 election.
He is known to be forthright and courageous. He is a sincere advocate who is never afraid to tell truth to power.
This was further demonstrated on Thursday, October 24, 2024, when Rep. Aguocha visited Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of IPOB, at the DSS office where he was being held, seemingly seeking a political solution.
According to Business Hallmark, the visit followed the approach by Kanu’s legal team, which was unable to interface with him. In a swift move, Hon Obi Aguocha wrote to the Department of State Security and to Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, the Honourable Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, seeking their immediate intervention.
Following Aguocha’s intervention, the legal team was granted access to Kanu. Since then, he has continued to make necessary consultations, meeting with influential people in Nigeria to ensure Kanu’s release.
He has also been present since the resumed trial of Nnamdi Kanu.
Additionally, Obi Aguocha has criticized the APC-led administration’s response to Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation. He condemned former President Muhammadu Buhari for a statement, reportedly made by his former media aide, suggesting they were magnanimous in keeping Kanu alive instead of killing him.
Back home, many in his community view Hon. Obi Aguocha as a community leader and mobilizer—someone who is a goal-getter when he sets his mind to something.
Above all, he is a philanthropist who has positively impacted many lives. Aguocha was the former President General of the Ohuhu Welfare Union worldwide, a position he used to promote community service and development.
Hallmark Business is aware that during his tenure, he articulated and led the implementation of many programs and projects benefiting his people.
In legislative business, Aguocha, who is the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation of House Standing and Ad hoc Committees, has made several contributions.
Aguocha advocates for unity, which is why in April 2025, he appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reconstitute the Committee on Population and Housing Census, citing the exclusion of the South-East.
Aguocha started well; whether you believe it or not, Nigeria’s political landscape needs more leaders like him who understand the real plight of the people. All hail Obi Aguocha—the politician who abhors injustice.
Regarding his personality, Clinton Uba, publisher of News Mirror Online, described Aguocha as a wonderful personality. He added that Aguocha proved his leadership potential as the President General of Ohuhu Development Union.
Uba said, “No doubt, Obi Aguocha is a wonderful personality. His record as PG of the Ohuhu Development Union speaks for itself. I give it to him. He made excellent use of his contacts, starting and executing projects that are still standing today.”
Uba advised Aguocha to focus on his legislative role by representing his constituents well through performance and understanding their core needs. He suggested forming a think tank to develop strategies that will meet the needs of Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency.
Honesty Nwosu, a constituent, also commented on Aguocha, noting his success as President General of Ohuhu Development Union. However, he criticized his legislative record, stating that Aguocha has not done much in terms of representation, with no people-oriented bills to his credit and no town hall meetings to gauge the needs of his constituents.
Nwosu said, “He has not carried out innovative legislative functions beyond calling for Nnamdi Kanu’s release, which was a major strategy that kept Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe in the Senate for over 16 years, and installing solar lights.”
He urged Aguocha to improve his representation and build a stronger bond with the people, whose support he still enjoys.
Ezebuiro Eze, a public affairs analyst based in Umuahia, explained that the duties of a legislator include representation, oversight, and lawmaking.
He believes Aguocha excels in lawmaking, citing his bills and motions as evidence of his dedication to his constituents. Eze said, “In terms of lawmaking, Aguocha has represented the interests of Ikwuano/Umuahia well. His bills and motions show this. However, I cannot assess his oversight and representation duties because I am not fully aware of them.”
