ABUJA – In what appears to be an attempt to woo the Labour Party (LP) in Abia State, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has called on Governor Alex Otti to align with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kalu, echoing a similar appeal made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, urged Governor Otti to consider the APC as the party to beat in the upcoming 2027 elections. In a recent viral video, Kalu praised Otti for his commendable performance in the development of Abia State but insisted that the next governor of Abia would be from the APC.
“We are friends; we work together, but in 2027, an APC governor will be there. I have told him both in person and in public that the APC will take over the governorship in Abia. I don’t know how it will happen, but I am confident it will,” Kalu said. He attributed his confidence to the efforts of President Bola Tinubu, asserting that Abia would repay the president’s support.
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Kalu further emphasized that President Tinubu’s assent to the South East Development Commission (SEDC) bill should be repaid with an electoral victory for the APC in Abia. “A president who has given Abia the SEDC deserves to be repaid. We are not ungrateful people. The APC will not work to strengthen the state only for LP to take the credit,” he added.
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The Deputy Speaker suggested that Governor Otti, elected under the LP, would find a more conducive environment for realizing his developmental goals within the APC. However, he also acknowledged that some Nigerians might misinterpret his efforts to promote the party as something else, urging caution.
With the 2027 elections still distant, Kalu noted the recent internal issues within the Labour Party, including the national chairman’s walkout during an INEC meeting. He hinted that now might be the ideal time for Otti to join the APC, allowing Abia to benefit from the central government before the next electoral cycle.
“Why wait until 2027, especially when the LP is divided? This is the best time for him to join the APC for the benefit of working together to achieve greater results. This move would also position Otti favorably for a second term,” an APC stalwart from the region commented.
Reflecting on historical precedent, Kalu cited the example of former Governor Theodore Orji, who switched from the relatively unknown Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) to the PDP shortly after winning the governorship, aligning with the ruling party to strengthen his administration. He suggested that Otti would not be condemned for following a similar path, noting that Otti was once a founding member of the APC in Abia State.
According to Kalu, the APC, like the PDP before it, would warmly accommodate Otti and any members of the House of Representatives willing to join the ruling party.
