In a strategic move to bolster the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has urged Governor Alex Otti to join the ruling party. This call aligns with a similar appeal made by Senate President Goodwill Akpabio to the governor of Akwa Ibom State, reflecting the APC’s ambition to consolidate power ahead of the 2027 elections.
Kalu praised Governor Otti for his commendable efforts in developing Abia State but made it clear that the APC aims to take control in the next election cycle. In a recent viral video, Kalu stated, “We are friends; we work together, but in 2027, the APC governor will be there. I have told him in person and in public that the APC will be the governor of Abia State.”
He emphasized that the APC’s potential victory is linked to President Bola Tinubu’s support for the South East Development Commission (SEDC), suggesting that Abia should reciprocate with electoral backing for the APC. Kalu argued that the state’s future development would be better served within the APC.
The precedent for such a political shift is not new in Abia State. Former Governor Theodore Orji, who initially won on the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) platform, later joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to align with the central government. This historical context suggests that Otti’s potential switch to the APC would follow a familiar pattern in Abia politics.