PeakNews Online
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will wrest power from the Labour Party-led government of Governor Alex Otti in Abia State during the 2027 general elections.
Kalu made the declaration on Sunday during a meeting with his support groups, including the Renewed Hope Initiative of the President, his Renewed Hope Partners, the Ben Kalu Movement, and more than 27 other pro-groups under the Ben Kalu Foundation (BKF).
According to him, the APC is fully prepared to reclaim Abia State and align it with President Bola Tinubu’s administration to ensure accelerated development.
“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 all gathering momentum for what will come in 2027. We are here to move the state and the federal government forward.”
The Deputy Speaker praised President Tinubu’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, which he described as a courageous step that has redirected national resources 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 in a boot but released it to the states. That is a real miracle worker,” he said.
‘Otti Has Not Done Enough’
Kalu also criticised Governor Alex Otti’s performance, saying the Labour Party government in Abia has not matched the resources it receives from the federal allocation with tangible development.
“We have a journey in front of us. We are here to thank you for your support for President Tinubu,” he said.
“Recall that at the Aba Stadium, during the reception organised for the President after commissioning Port Harcourt Road, Aba, I said it clearly — you (Otti) have not done enough.”
Kalu, who described himself as the opposition leader in the state, said despite his personal relationship with the governor, he would continue to speak for the masses.
“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 still doing the same jobs that former governors did with less,” he said.
“The former governors got between ₦4 billion and ₦5 billion, but today, Tinubu has released ₦38 billion to ₦40 billion monthly. How can we compare that?”
‘APC Will Win with the People’s Vote’
The Deputy Speaker expressed confidence that the APC would take over the Abia State Government through democratic means rather than coercion.
“APC will take over this state. And you know why? It is so that what is given from Abuja will get to your ward,” Kalu said.
“We are not going to take over this state by force. We are going to use the vote of the masses.”
