The Renewed Hope Partners (RHP) spokesperson, Elton Onwu, has alleged that the sealing of its South East headquarters in Umuahia was aimed at undermining Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and his promotion of President Bola Tinubu’s programmes in the region. The office, located at 36 Ojike Street, was sealed over alleged tax defaults but was later unsealed following state intervention.

Onwu described the action as vindictive, pointing out that the building had been abandoned for over 30 years before RHP renovated it for its operations. He urged the Abia government to avoid political bias and called on residents to support RHP.

In response, Governor Alex Otti clarified that the sealing was not politically motivated. According to him, the Harmonised Task Force acted as part of a general enforcement of court orders against properties in default of statutory obligations. The property owed ground rent since 1982, and a court order had been obtained after demand notices were ignored.

Otti emphasized that the government had unsealed the property promptly upon being notified by Deputy Speaker Kalu and reaffirmed that sensitive cases would receive oversight to ensure fairness and political neutrality. The sealing exercise affected 83 properties in Umuahia and 91 in Aba, but exemptions were made for churches, hospitals, and schools.