2027: APC Will Sack Alex Otti, Take Over Abia – Deputy Speaker Kalu

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has vowed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will remove the Labour Party (LP) government in Abia State, led by Governor Alex Otti, in the 2027 general elections.

Kalu made the declaration on Sunday while addressing members of more than 27 pro-Tinubu and pro-Kalu groups under the umbrella of the Ben Kalu Foundation (BKF).

The groups include the Renewed Hope Initiative of President Bola Tinubu, Renewed Hope Partners, and the Ben Kalu Movement, among others.

Kalu said the APC was already mobilising grassroots support across the state to ensure victory in the next elections, adding that the goal was to align Abia with the vision of the Tinubu administration.

“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,” he 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.”

Don’t miss out on any real-time information. Join our WhatsApp group to stay updated.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

The Deputy Speaker described President Bola Tinubu as a “miracle worker” who had brought fiscal transparency to governance by ending the fuel subsidy regime and redirecting the savings to state governments.

“The miracle worker is the President who releases money to the states,” Kalu said.

“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 the right miracle worker.”

Kalu, who represents Bende Federal Constituency, accused Governor Otti of underperforming despite receiving larger monthly allocations than his predecessors.

“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,” Kalu stated.

“You cannot be getting the kind of money you are getting and doing the job that former governors did with less. The former governors got about ₦4 billion to ₦5 billion, but today, Tinubu has released ₦38 billion to ₦40 billion. In all fairness, how do you compare what was done then to now?”

He added, “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 revealed that President Tinubu had promised to build a seaport in Abia State, assuring residents that the project would transform the state’s economy and create jobs.

“The President has assured us that his administration will build a seaport for the state,” Kalu said, urging supporters to obtain their voter cards and party cards ahead of the elections.

He also announced empowerment packages for members of his support groups and hinted that the President would visit Abia “soon, at our invitation.”

In their remarks, the Director-General of the Ben Kalu Foundation, Rev. Trump Eke, and other political stakeholders, including Charles Ogbonna, Emeka Stanley, Don Ubani, and Chikezie Mba, commended Kalu for his developmental efforts and loyalty to President Tinubu.

They pledged continued support for his political ambitions, describing him as “a unifying force in Abia politics.”

It is worth noting that the Labour Party rose to prominence in 2022 following the presidential run of Peter Obi, who re-energised the party’s base nationwide.

In May 2022, Alex Otti emerged unopposed as the party’s governorship candidate in Abia and later won the March 2023 governorship election, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

However, with the APC now intensifying its campaign structure ahead of 2027, political observers say the contest for Abia State could become one of the most fiercely fought battles in the next election cycle.