Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will record a sweeping landslide victory across Abia State in the 2027 general elections.
George OPARA
Speaking in Abuja on Saturday after APC stakeholders from Abia State purchased and presented him with Expression of Interest and Governorship Nomination Forms, Kalu said the party would win the governorship, all Senate seats, all House of Representatives seats, and all State Assembly positions in the state.
The stakeholders had gathered to plead with the Deputy Speaker to contest for governor of Abia State under the APC banner.
Kalu thanked the group for the gesture but noted that his formal response would come later. He however made a firm pledge that the APC’s story in Abia is about to change dramatically.
“It has never happened before that our political party has received this much interest from people wanting to lead — from House of Assembly to the House of Representatives to the Senate to the governorship,” Kalu said. “This means that gradually, people are beginning to understand what APC stands for.”
He continued: “We will not allow this dream to die. We will fight till the end. We will win the House of Assembly positions. We will win the House of Representatives. We will sweep the Senate seats and win the governorship. We will also win for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
He said despite the mounting pressure to run for governor, Kalu emphasised that his primary focus remains delivering massive votes from the South East, and Abia State in particular, for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reelection.
“The most important thing for me is to make sure that this man who has come as a reformer, who has come to leave legacies, is seen visibly, and that our people of the South East, starting from Abia State, are standing solidly behind him,” he said. “Every other thing to me is secondary.”
Earlier, three stakeholders representing Abia North, Abia Central, and Abia South spoke separately, each making a passionate case for Kalu to run for governor.
Chief James Uko Igwe, SAN, speaking for Abia North, pointed to Kalu’s outstanding contributions as Deputy Speaker and his statesmanlike approach to leadership. He said he had inspected projects across the constituency and believes Kalu’s spirit of unity and consensus-building is exactly what Abia State needs at the governorship level.
Major General Jack Nwaogbu (Rtd), speaking for Abia Central, credited Kalu with reviving the APC in Abia State over the past seven months by returning the party to the masses. He argued that the same person who united fractured party factions is best suited to govern the state.
Rt. Hon. Uzo Azubuike, former Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, spoke for Abia South. He noted that Kalu has generated employment, attracted federal appointments, empowered citizens, and positioned people for success. He warned that if the South East fails to deliver substantial votes for President Tinubu in 2027, the region might not continue to enjoy the President’s current level of generosity and patronage.
“The President has continued to patronize our people despite the low votes from the South East in 2023,” Azubuike said.
“We are afraid that if in 2027 we are not able to join other Nigerians to deliver substantial votes for the President, he might not be as kind and generous as he has been. We need a leader who will lead from the front into this battle. We are convinced that only the leadership of Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu can deliver that in Abia State today.”
The event ended with the stakeholders urging Kalu to give their request serious consideration, while the Deputy Speaker assured that his decision would be made known in due course.
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