Reps deputy speaker Kalu beckons on Otti to rejoin APC

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has beckoned on Governor Alex Otti to rejoin the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Otti, who is of the opposition Labour Party (LP), defected from the APC in the build-up to the 2023 general elections to make a successful bid for the governorship of Abia State.

Kalu made the call when he received the members of the Ukwa Local Government chapter of APC and the party’s new members led by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Abia commissioner, and Chief Dimgba Eruba in Umuahia recently.

Kalu, in a statement, explained that the call was aimed at ensuring that both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Otti emerge victorious in the 2027 presidential and gubernatorial elections in the state.

He charged stakeholders of the Abia State chapter of the APC to expand their grassroots mobilisation and get more people to join the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Commending them for the good work done so far in ensuring that more people join the party in Ukwa local government, Kalu urged the people to keep it up and continue the expansion of the party’s membership.

Elated by the gale of defection to the APC, in the South-East, the Deputy Speaker specifically asked the NDDC commissioner, Eruba, to use his position to continue to build the party for the victory of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the next election.

He urged him to keep him updated on the various interventions he’s making in this regard, in different local governments of the state.

Kalu lauded Tinubu’s style of leadership and friendly disposition towards the South East region, recalling that the President helped in his emergence as the Deputy Speaker in the spirit of equity and fairness.

The Deputy Speaker said, “You have done well. Ukwa is collapsing. The testimony is clear. Continue the good work. I met with the governor the other day and I urged him to return to APC. We need to deliver here for Mr. President, we have to keep mobilising until the sitting governor will see that it’s APC everywhere you go.

“Keep up the good work, bring more people, let’s expand the party. We will hold an event where all the big people, that have structure in the party will receive you, from Bende, Ohafia, Item, Umuahia, Ukwa and so on.

“I will bring the national chairman of the party to receive you. We will make sure that as you’re coming in, you will be stakeholders. You will have a stake and you’re accountable. We will try our best to support Mr President as he supports you, by building the party. Thank you all.”

Earlier, the group led by Chief Eruba lauded the President for choosing one of their own to represent Abia at the NDDC, and also hailed the Deputy Speaker for the good work he has been doing since assuming of office.

They assured the Deputy Speaker that Ukwa people are fully behind him, adding that they will mobilise more people to join APC.

“More are still willing to come. They have seen the good work that you’ve started, and they now said that wherever you’re, that’s where they will be,” Kalu said.

“I wish to implore Your Excellency to continue to do that which you’ve started. Ukwa people are solidly behind you. We are waiting for further directives, on what next should we do. We’ll deliver APC 100%. Ukwa belongs to APC.”