The Abia State Government has reacted sharply to recent comments credited to the Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, in which he declared that Abia State would be won by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
Senator Kalu, a former governor of the state, was quoted as saying that although Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party (LP) is his friend, he would only work and vote for his party, the APC, adding that he would “lay his heart on the field” to ensure victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and any APC governorship candidate in Abia.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Abia State Government described the remarks as unnecessary and misleading, insisting that Governor Otti has never sought Senator Kalu’s support for re-election nor attempted to influence him to act against his party.
The statement, signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, said Governor Otti’s performance in office, rather than political threats or rhetoric, would determine the outcome of the 2027 elections.
“Governor Alex Otti has never approached Senator Kalu to solicit support for his re-election bid, nor has he asked him to work against the APC or its future governorship candidate,” the statement said, adding that repeated public emphasis on refusing to support the governor had become “pedestrian and unnecessary.”
The government further argued that electoral records from the 2023 general elections contradict claims of strong APC influence in the state, particularly in Abia North. According to the statement, results published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed that the APC lost both the governorship and presidential elections in polling units and wards across Bende Local Government Area, Senator Kalu’s home base.
It questioned how the APC presidential candidate lost in the same constituency where Senator Kalu claimed to have worked vigorously for the party, despite the elections being conducted on the same day.
Highlighting Governor Otti’s emergence in 2023 as the only Labour Party governor in the country, the Abia Government attributed his victory to what it described as his credibility, competence, and reform-driven agenda. It expressed confidence that the governor’s record of “visible and enduring transformation” in less than three years would further consolidate popular support ahead of 2027.
“Abia people have come to see Governor Alex Otti beyond party lines, regarding him as their best political option,” the statement said, describing his re-election bid as “a project firmly rooted in the will of the people.”
The government also reacted to reports that Senator Kalu’s younger brother may contest the 2027 governorship election, recalling that he previously ran under the All Progressives Party (APP) in 2023 and finished last. It added that several aspirants have already indicated interest in contesting the Abia North senatorial seat under the Labour Party, with assurances of strong backing for whoever emerges.
The statement concluded by reaffirming the administration’s confidence in the electorate, insisting that political outcomes in Abia would ultimately be determined by performance, credibility, and popular trust rather than declarations or political bravado.
Abia Government Dismisses Kalu’s 2027 APC Claim, Vows Otti’s Re-election
