Former Abia State Governor and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has fired a sharp political warning at Governor Alex Otti, declaring that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress will secure a sweeping victory in Abia State during the 2027 general elections.
Kalu spoke on Sunday at his country home in Igbere after distributing food items to constituents and party members across the state’s 17 local government areas. His remarks came days after Governor Otti reportedly vowed to block Kalu’s return to the Senate and prevent the APC from making gains in the state.
Dismissing the governor’s confidence as misplaced, Kalu said the APC was fully prepared for the next election cycle and would triumph despite what he described as hostile rhetoric from the state government. He challenged Otti and his party to face the electorate, insisting that elections, not media battles, would decide Abia’s future.
Read also:
- Abia Archbishop hails Governor Alex Otti for fixing Port Harcourt Road, calls it ‘Aba’s stomach cure’
- Gov Ikpeazu’s favourite aspirant, Ikonne, wins Abia PDP governorship ticket
- Coach Amakapor departs Abia Warriors
Kalu expressed surprise that the governor and his aides reacted angrily to his open declaration of support for the APC ahead of 2027. He noted that he had avoided public criticism of the Abia government since Otti assumed office, stressing that he still regarded the governor as a personal friend.
He said tensions escalated only after he made it clear that he would work for the APC to win future elections, adding that political loyalty should not attract insults or personal attacks. According to him, the APC supported Otti’s emergence in 2023, a gesture he said would not be repeated.
Assessing Otti’s performance after two years in office, Kalu questioned claims of exceptional achievements, arguing that the current administration was operating with far more resources than were available during his own tenure as governor between 1999 and 2007. He alleged that most ongoing projects were limited to repainting or rehabilitating roads constructed under his administration, insisting that he had not seen evidence of major new infrastructure.
The senator recalled that his years in office were marked by free education and healthcare, achievements he said earned him national recognition at the time. He maintained that governance was not about online praise but about measurable impact felt by ordinary citizens.
On his own political future, Kalu brushed aside suggestions that he would lose his Senate seat in 2027, saying history would judge performance, not propaganda. He rejected claims that he had ever rigged elections, insisting that he believed in the will of the people and fair competition.
He declared that the APC was already mobilising across Abia and predicted victory for Tinubu, the party’s senatorial candidates, and other aspirants in the state. He added that he was returning fully to grassroots politics, pledging to be more visible and active than in previous years.
Kalu also dismissed reports of division within the Abia APC, saying the party was united by a common goal to win elections. On speculation that Governor Otti might defect to the APC, he said such a decision was not his to make, but noted pointedly that political realignments often come with consequences.
Addressing residents directly, Kalu said the Orji Uzor Kalu they knew had returned to the political field, promising renewed engagement with the masses. He argued that Abia North and the state at large would suffer a setback if he was not returned to the Senate, citing roads, schools, and other projects he said he had facilitated across Abia, including areas outside his senatorial district.
On national issues, Kalu spoke about the influence of the so-called Class of 1999 in Nigerian politics, describing it as a generation blessed with leadership opportunities. He also expressed support for the creation of an additional state in the South-East, proposing a configuration drawn from parts of Imo, Anambra, and Delta states, with Oguta as capital, which he said would be economically viable if pursued collectively.
