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In a strategic move to strengthen the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu called Governor Alex Otti to join the ruling party.
Kalu's appeal, which mirrors a previous one made by Senate President Goodwill Akpabio to the governor of Akwa Ibom State, underscores the APC's ambition to consolidate power ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a recent viral video, Kalu emphasised that the APC is the party to beat in the upcoming elections.
He praised Governor Otti for his commendable work in developing Abia State but clarified that the APC intends to take the reins in the next election cycle.
"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," Kalu stated emphatically.
"I don't know how it will happen, but I know it will happen. I am confident because my president is working hard, and Abia will repay the president."
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Kalu linked the potential APC victory to President Bola Tinubu's support for the South East Development Commission (SEDC), suggesting that the state should reciprocate with electoral support for the APC.
"A president who has given Abia SEDC will be repaid. We are not ungrateful people. APC will not help the state to be strong, and the LP will now take the credit," he added.
The Deputy Speaker also argued that Governor Otti, elected under the Labour Party (LP), would find a more conducive environment for his developmental goals 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 relatively unknown Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) platform, swiftly joined the then-ruling 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 path in Abia politics, especially since he was a founding member of the APC in the state.