Political activities in Abia State are beginning to gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general election, following a declaration by the Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, that he will commit all his political strength to ensuring the All Progressives Congress (APC) takes over the state.
Kalu made the statement in Ekoli, Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, during his annual New Year visit to the Chairman of the APC in Ebonyi State, Stanley Okoro-Emegha.
The former governor of Abia State said he was fully prepared to deploy all available political resources to wrest power from the Labour Party, which currently controls the state.
“I will support President Bola Tinubu and the APC gubernatorial candidate in the elections. I will put my heart on the field to ensure that the APC wins a landslide in Abia at the election.
“The incumbent Governor, Dr Alex Otti, is my friend, but I am not discussing politics—only the total victory of the APC in the elections.”
He also charged state governors across the country to take responsibility for securing their states rather than shifting the burden entirely to President Bola Tinubu.
Reflecting on his time as governor, Kalu said Abia State enjoyed relative peace under his leadership.
“When I was Abia governor, I ensured total security of lives and property. There were no cases of kidnapping, among other crimes, in Abia, and this was at a period when other states were grappling with heightened insecurity.”
He advised governors to take a cue from the leadership style of Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru.
“The governors should emulate Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, who has ensured adequate peace and security in the state,” he added.
Kalu explained that his annual New Year visit to the Ebonyi APC chairman was rooted in long-standing loyalty and trust.
“He is an embodiment of loyalty and is someone you can trust with your life. I raised him as a child, even when his father was alive, and he was part of the success stories I recorded as a governor.
“When I handed him over to former Ebonyi State Governor, Senator David Umahi, I urged him to give his principal 100 per cent loyalty, and he has transferred such virtue to the incumbent governor, Nwifuru.”
What you should know
Orji Uzor Kalu’s declaration signals an early and aggressive political strategy by the APC ahead of the 2027 elections in Abia State.
With the Labour Party currently in power under Governor Alex Otti, the statement highlights growing competition and realignments in the state’s political space.
Kalu’s emphasis on security, party loyalty, and support for President Bola Tinubu underscores the APC’s intention to reclaim influence in the South-East, where opposition parties have made recent gains.
