As the political atmosphere across Nigeria gradually gathers momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, the electorate in Abia North Senatorial District are already assessing the pedigrees of the men stepping forward to make history.
Leading the charge is the Labour Party Senatorial Candidate, Chief Dr. David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex (MFR, OON), who has declared that his ambition to the Red Chamber is not merely a quest for another political title, but a natural consolidation of a lifetime of experience.
Speaking during an exclusive radio interview on the Bourdex Hour, simulcast across Magic 102.9 FM, Masters 105.9 FM, Flo FM 94.9 and streaming on All Facts Newspaper platforms, the esteemed industrialist and former Mayor of Ohafia Local Government Area detailed how his unique journey through the private sector and grassroots governance has impeccably prepared him to represent the good people of Abia North.
Before entering the turbulent waters of Nigerian politics, Chief Bourdex was already a household name in the corporate world. As the pioneer of Bodex Telecom, the first privately owned telecommunications company in the former Eastern region, spanning the Southeast and South-South, he understands the brutal realities of the Nigerian economy.
“Business became my first university after formal education. It taught me lessons that no classroom could ever teach,” Chief Bourdex revealed. “It taught me what it means to create jobs instead of waiting for one. It taught me how poor roads quickly destroy profitability, how unreliable electricity cripples production, and how inconsistent government policies discourage investment.”
For Bourdex, these were not just business challenges; they were life lessons that instilled a deep sense of empathy for the common man and the struggling entrepreneur. He noted that every salary he paid represented a family whose dignity depended on the success of his enterprise, shaping his core belief that hard work is a privilege and integrity is worth more than material possessions.
While the corporate world taught him efficiency and productivity, it was his appointment by Governor Alex Otti as the Mayor of Ohafia Local Government that introduced him to the profound responsibilities of public stewardship.
Recounting his harrowing first day in office, Chief Bourdex painted a grim picture of the administrative decay he inherited. “When I resumed as Mayor in Ohafia, I met a local government headquarters that looked as if the civil war had just ended,” he lamented. “The place was so dilapidated, so run down, that there were no offices. Workers were sitting under the trees, utterly demoralised.”
Despite an initial urge to walk away from the massive infrastructural rot, Bourdex remembered the mandate given to him by Governor Otti, a mandate to change the narrative of local government administration from a mere compensation hub to a center of actual grassroots development. Within an astonishing 11 months, Chief Bourdex aggressively turned the secretariat around, demonstrating the transformative power of purposeful leadership.
“Government is different,” he reflected. “Every decision touches human lives. I discovered that consultation is not a sign of weakness, but of wisdom. Serving as Mayor became my second university. It taught me patience, consensus, and above all, that leadership is stewardship.”
Addressing speculations from opposition camps claiming the Labour Party lacks grassroots presence and only rode to power on the “Peter Obi wave,” Chief Bourdex was resolute in his defense of his party and the incumbent Governor.
He confidently clarified that Governor Alex Otti’s mandate was a product of years of meticulous preparation, unwavering vision, and immense localized support. “In 2027, we are going to have an Alex Otti wave,” Bourdex declared. “To say that His Excellency came into office because of the ‘Obi wave’ is a false narrative. He won his elections in 2015 and 2019. Abia has never had it this good. Abia State today is a massive project site.”
He emphasized that his choice of the Labour Party was strategic, rooted in the alignment of his vision for Abia North with Governor Otti’s developmental blueprint for the entire state.
When asked why he is stepping into the fiercely competitive senatorial race, knowing the entrenched forces in the National Assembly, Chief Bourdex was unequivocal. He views the Senate not as a learning curve, but as the ultimate platform to deploy his vast repository of knowledge.
“I do not see the Senate as the next political office; I see it as the natural consolidation of everything my life has prepared me for,” he stated with conviction. “Business gave me practical experience. Public service gave me administrative experience. Community engagement gave me a deeper understanding of our people’s hopes.”
Chief Bourdex noted that he has spent recent years rigorously studying legislation, public policy, and national development, guided by his philosophy that “representation should never begin after election day; preparations must come first.”
As the umpire prepares to blow the whistle for the 2027 campaigns, the Labour Party candidate has made his stance clear: he is bringing the full measure of his experience, energy, commitment, and undeniable integrity to the table for Abia North.
If his monumental success in the private sector and his miraculous turnaround of Ohafia LGA are anything to go by, the electorate of Abia North may well be on the verge of a historic political paradigm shift.
