Drama as Crowd Drowns Out Kalu During Tinubu Campaign in Abia

According to a report by Daily Post on Sunday, November 8, 2026, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu faced chants in support of Peter Obi while seeking backing for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in Abia State.

The episode took place on Saturday during the Item Okpi Festival in Bende Local Government Area. Kalu had taken the stage to address local residents and encourage them to support Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections. His appeal, however, was interrupted when people in the gathering began calling out Obi’s name.

Rather than responding with the support Kalu was seeking, sections of the audience repeatedly shouted, “Obi! Obi! Obi!” The chants continued as the Deputy Speaker tried to deliver his campaign message, creating a noisy scene that reportedly made it difficult for him to be heard.

Video footage from the festival showed Kalu raising his voice in an effort to speak over the crowd. He also appeared to try to settle the gathering and regain the audience’s attention, but the chants persisted. Some people were seen standing and lifting their hands as the name was called out.

The reaction drew attention because Kalu was at the event promoting Tinubu’s return to office, yet the crowd’s response centred on Obi, whom the report identified as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate. The interruption therefore became the defining moment of the Deputy Speaker’s appearance at the festival.

The footage circulated on social media, bringing wider attention to the exchange. The video showed the contrast between Kalu’s request for support for the President and the audience’s repeated expression of support for Obi.

The reported incident occurred before the 2027 election, when political figures and parties are expected to intensify efforts to build support across the country. However, the available account does not establish the political affiliation of those chanting, how many people took part, or whether the reaction represented the views of Bende community.

Daily Post’s report focused on the interruption and the video shared online. No response from Kalu or an explanation from event organisers was included in the supplied account.

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