Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, has stated that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), is poised to have the next governor of Abia State.
Kalu, aged 53, who previously served as the spokesperson for the House of Representatives, represents the Bende Federal Constituency within the APC.
At present, Alex Otti, a former bank executive, holds the position of governor of Abia State as a member of the Labour Party.
During an interview, Kalu expressed that, “This will be the last time that a Labour governor will govern Abia state. I say it without mincing words. The next governor of Abia state will be APC governor.”
Nevertheless, he mentioned that he is acquainted with the governor and has communicated his position to the chief executive of Abia State.
He stated, ”We are friends, we work together, but I will not be the number six citizen of the country and another party will govern my state. The next election in 2027, APC will be there.
”I have told him publicly and privately that the APC governor will be next in Abia state. How it will happen, I don’t know, but it will happen.
”I am confident because my government is working hard, the president is working hard and Abia will repay the president. The president that has given you the South East Development Commission will be repaid.
”A president that is appointing Abians into administration. A president that is attracting the dividends of democracy will be repaid. We are not ungrateful people. Monkey will not work and baboon chop. APC will not help the state to be strong and Labour will take the credit.
”APC will determine who will become the next governor of Abia state. I don’t care about who the person is. But, one thing I know is the platform, APC, will be the next governor of Abia state.
”We are ready to work for Abia state and we are tired of being outside the government at the center. We need to leverage the power of the center to increase the development of Abia state.”
Kalu further commented that Otti has performed admirably in comparison to other state governors, yet he maintained that Abia should be governed by the APC.
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