2027: APC Will Take Over Abia, Says Deputy Speaker Kalu
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) will unseat the Labour Party (LP) government in Abia State in the 2027 general elections.
Kalu made the declaration on Sunday during a meeting with several of his support groups, including the Renewed Hope Initiative of President Bola Tinubu, Renewed Hope Partners, Ben Kalu Movement, and over 27 other organizations affiliated with the Ben Kalu Foundation (BKF).
“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,” Kalu said. “It is about the love we have for our president. We are gathering momentum for 2027.”
He praised President Tinubu for what he described as “bold economic decisions,” particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and the subsequent allocation of funds to state governments.
“The real miracle worker is the president who stopped oil subsidy and released the money to the states,” Kalu said. “He did not keep it in his pocket or a boot. That is the true miracle.”
The deputy speaker, who also serves as the leader of the opposition in Abia, criticized Governor Alex Otti for what he called underperformance despite increased federal allocations to the state.
“You cannot be getting the kind of money you are getting and still do the kind of work that former governors did with less,” Kalu said. “The former governors got N4 billion or N5 billion monthly, but today, the Tinubu administration has released between N38 billion and N40 billion to the states.”
He expressed confidence that the APC would take over Abia “through the ballot” and not by force.
“APC will take over this state so that what is given from Abuja will get to your ward,” he said. “We will use the votes of the masses to achieve this.”
Kalu also announced that President Tinubu has assured him of plans to establish a seaport in Abia State, urging party members to register for their voter and party cards in preparation for the elections.
He added that the President would visit the state “whenever the time is right.”
In separate remarks, the Director General of the Ben Kalu Foundation, Rev. Trump Eke, and other stakeholders, including Charles Ogbonna, Emeka Stanley, Don Ubani, and Chikezie Mba, commended Kalu for his leadership and pledged their support for his future political ambitions.
The Labour Party, which gained national prominence during Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign, currently governs Abia under Governor Alex Otti, who was declared winner of the March 22, 2023 gubernatorial election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).