Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has declared that the All Progressives Congress is set to reclaim political leadership in Abia State from the Labour Party by the 2027 general elections.
The current administration in the state is led by Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party.
Kalu made this assertion on Sunday during a meeting with over 27 support groups aligned with his political movement, including the Renewed Hope Initiative of the President, Renewed Hope Partners, Ben Kalu Movement, and others under the Ben Kalu Foundation.
“We have come to take over, and there is no going back because we want to work with the president to move our state forward. It is about the love we have for our president. We are all gathering momentum for what will come in 2027. We are here to move the state and the federal government forward,” Kalu said.
Referring to President Bola Tinubu’s policies, Kalu lauded the decision to end fuel subsidies and redirect funds to the states. “The miracle worker is the President who releases money to the states. Up until now, the real miracle worker is the man who stopped oil subsidy and did not keep the money in his pocket or keep it in a boot, but released it to the states. That is a right miracle worker,” he added.
Kalu criticized Governor Otti’s performance and reiterated his role as an opposition figure in the state. “We have a journey in front. We are here to thank you for your support for Tinubu. Recall that at the Aba stadium on the occasion of the reception organised for the President after commissioning Port Harcourt Road, Aba, I said it at the stadium, that you (Otti) have not done enough,” he said.
He continued, “This administration might be my friend, the leader, but I am the opposition leader in the state, and as opposition leader, I must speak for the masses. You cannot be getting the kind of money you are getting and you are doing the job that former governors did with less they were getting. The former governors got very less than 4 billion, 5 billion, and today, Tinubu has released 38 billion, 40 billion, and you want us, in all fairness, to compare you with the N38 billion to 40 billion against 5.6 billion.”
Reaffirming the APC’s readiness for the 2027 elections, Kalu stated, “APC will take over this state. And you know why? It is so that what is given from Abuja will get to your ward. We are not going to take over this state by force. We are going to use the vote of the masses.”
Kalu also announced that President Tinubu has committed to building a seaport in Abia State. He urged party members and supporters to register for their voters’ and party cards, and unveiled empowerment initiatives for members of his support groups. He added that the President’s visit to the state would be arranged at a time of their choosing.
Speaking at the event, Rev. Trump Eke, Director General of the Ben Kalu Foundation, alongside stakeholders such as Charles Ogbonna, Emeka Stanley, Don Ubani, and Chikezie Mba, praised Kalu’s leadership and pledged their continued support for his political aspirations.
The Labour Party gained significant national traction in 2022 following the presidential bid of Peter Obi. Governor Otti emerged unopposed as the LP’s gubernatorial candidate in May 2022 and was declared winner of the March 22, 2023, governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
