George OPARA
The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied reports that the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has endorsed Governor Alex Otti for a second term in office.
The party, in a statement issued on Friday, described the circulating claims as “misleading, malicious, and deceptive propaganda” orchestrated by Governor Otti’s media team .
The denial came amid growing speculation that Kalu, who was recently presented with APC governorship nomination forms by stakeholders, may be positioning himself to challenge Otti in the 2027 gubernatorial election.
The Abia APC Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, said the party would not have reacted to the claim but for the benefit of unsuspecting members of the public who might be misled by the falsehood.”We wish to state that Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu remains a loyal, committed, and dedicated party man, as well as the undisputed leader of the APC in Abia State,” Aguoru said.
“Is it not embarrassing that a government that prides itself on illusory self-praise is now desperately shopping for endorsements?” the statement read in part .Aguoru further declared: “Let it be made clear that at no time, either publicly or privately, has Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu endorsed Governor Alex Otti for a second term”.
Contrary to the false endorsement claims, the party said the Deputy Speaker has remained “resolute and fully committed” to ensuring the APC wins all elective positions in Abia State and takes over Government House, Umuahia, by May 29, 2027.
“His determination to ensure that the Labour Party administration in Abia State is voted out remains strong, consistent, and unwavering, especially in view of what many Abians consider the mismanagement of the state across critical sectors of governance,” Aguoru said.
This position aligns with recent political developments in the state.
Just days before the APC’s denial, a group of political stakeholders had purchased APC expression of interest and governorship nomination forms for Kalu, urging him to contest the 2027 governorship election .
Presenting the forms to Kalu in Abuja, Senior Advocate of Nigeria James Uko-Kalu described the Deputy Speaker as a “unifying figure” whose performance in the National Assembly has marked him out as a capable leader.
Kalu has not formally declared his intention to run for governor, but he has signaled openness to the idea. At a recent event in Isiala Ngwa, he acknowledged growing calls from across the state for him to enter the race.
Source from his camp told Spear News Nigeria that he had fixed Fridays 8 May, for his official declaration. “I have received your request for me to run for governor of Abia State, but I will respond,” Kalu said. “I will respond in the coming days because I don’t want to do it local government by local government”.
He added that when the time comes, he would make a formal declaration in Umuahia, the state capital: “There is only one place the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has listed as the right place, the right jurisdiction to exercise the power of the office of the governor, and that is not in any other place but Umuahia”.
If Kalu eventually declares for governor, he would be pairing up against incumbent Alex Otti of the Labour Party in what promises to be a fiercely contested 2027 election .
Political observers have noted that Kalu has intensified grassroots engagements across Abia in recent months, consolidating support within key blocs such as Bende, Obingwa, and the Ngwa axis.
His interventions on issues of infrastructure, economic growth, and inclusiveness have been interpreted as part of a broader positioning ahead of 2027 .
For now, the Abia APC has urged residents to disregard the endorsement claims and remain steadfast in their support for the party as “the credible alternative for a better future” .
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