Dr Benjamin Kalu, deputy speaker of the house of representatives, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) will wrest control of Abia state in 2027.
The state is governed by Alex Otti of the Labour Party (LP), who was elected in 2023.
Speaking on Sunday at an event organised by APC supporters and members of the Renewed Hope Partners (RHP) in Umuahia, the state capital, Kalu claimed that Otti’s administration has underperformed despite receiving substantial allocations from the federal government.
“We have come to take over, and there is no going back. We want to work with the president to move our state forward,” he said.
“We are gathered because of the love we have for our president. All Abians, youths, women, men, leaders, and everyone gather for what will come in 2027.
“The crowd here is to show they are there for the Renewed Hope Partners and to move the state and the federal governments forward.
“I want to thank you for supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has been assisting the governor in working for the people.
“The miracle maker is the president who releases funds, stops oil subsidy and does not keep the money in Abuja. That is the right miracle worker. The president wants to see what the government does with the funds released.
“I’m an opposition member in Abia state. We can be friends or family, but as long as we are from different political parties, our job is to be the watchdog of the administration.
“As opposition leader in my state, I must speak for the masses. The job done so far by the state government is not enough. You cannot be getting the kind of money you’re getting and doing the job that former governors who got less were doing. You can’t be delivering what a former governor used N4 billion or less to do.
“Let me tell you, get ready, All Progressive Congress (APC) will take over this state. APC will take over Abia state. And you know why? So that what is released from Abuja will get to your ward.
“And we are not going to take over by force. Some people think we are going to use federal power, no. We are going to use the vote of the masses to take over this state.
“We are saying that we need more. What we are getting from them now is not enough. You are the people who will vote for APC in Abia state. The president and the party will be strong in Abia state. APC is strong and big in Abia state.”
Kalu urged people of the state to register and obtain their voter cards to be eligible to participate in the electoral process.
“The purpose of this meeting today is for you to start registering people in your polling units. You must populate the voter register. We have to register to vote,” he said.
Kalu noted that Abia ranks among the states with the lowest number of registered voters and urged residents to obtain their voter cards to demonstrate their support for Tinubu.
