Labour Party Lawmaker, Hon Obi Aguocha, has fired back at Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu’s claim that APC will take over Abia State in 2027, describing it as a desperate and brazen display of political ambition.
Aguocha, representing Umuahia/Ikwuano Federal Constituency, challenged Kalu to declare his governorship ambition openly, rather than hiding behind his position as Deputy Speaker.
The LP Lawmaker accused Kalu of disrespecting and denigrating the office of the incumbent Governor, Alex Otti, with his open vituperation, and lacking the audacity to declare the seat of the Governor vacant in 2027.
Aguocha’s response came after Kalu’s trending video, where he vowed that APC will take over the Governorship seat in Abia come 2027, sparking rumours of his ambition to contest the seat.
The LP Lawmaker revealed that Kalu’s camp has been boasting about his chances of winning the APC ticket in the state, despite reservations about his political structure and skill to defeat Governor Otti.
Aguocha commended Governor Otti’s achievements, including the removal of ghost workers, infrastructural development, investments in education and health, and his target to turn Aba into the Taiwan of Africa.
The LP Lawmaker advised Kalu to focus on his legislative duties and constituents, rather than engaging in “pugnacious instability” and “intemperate political culture”.
He assured that Abians will repay Governor Otti for his achievements come 2027, and warned Kalu that there is no vacancy in Abia State in 2027.
Aguocha also reminded Kalu that the Labour Party won Bende Federal Constituency (Kalu’s constituency) in 2023 and can declare that seat vacant again.
The statement read in parts: “I hope you are well, and may God bless your continued quest for legislative excellence and national political relevance.
“If you noted, I made a comment on our Abia Caucus House of Representatives only forum in respect to a recent trending video about your personal opinion and open declaration of Abia State becoming an APC state in 2027.
“My first inclination was that of shock, maybe that the video was an Artificial Intelligence [AI] generated skit. Alas, it was real. My dear colleague, your open vituperation and remarks against our Governor, Labour Party, and Abia State was very condescending, denigrating, and disrespectful in every sense of the word.
“Your personal opinion and partisanship aside. Your patently repeated boasting and referring to yourself as NO.6 in the order of leadership hierarchy of the Federal Government seen in the video clip portrays you less as a leader and more like a man with an open display of brazenness and rabid indiscretion. I would have advised you otherwise.
“My brother, we are distinguished colleagues with you representing the good people of Bende Federal Constituency. Whilst we elected you to be our Deputy Speaker, it does not confer on you an audacity to declare vacant the seat of the governor of Abia State in 2027.
“By your own striking admission that “Dr. Alex Otti is your friend, and that he has done very well, too, for our people, but that you, Hon. Ben Kalu owes your party, APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a duty to deliver Abia State, a Labour Party state to your party at the centre as payback for the President’s political patronage to the Southeast viz; signing the Southeast Development Commission Act, etcetera”.
“What a brazen and uncontrolled outpouring of emotional fury.
“You went on to declare that the President’s party, the APC, will take over Abia State by 2027.
“I have known you to exude boldness, which is often misconstrued as excessive arrogance but not this type of pugnacious instability.
“Lest that we are confused, especially in this season of significant economic hardship and high citizen expectations from those of us in government.
“Would it not have been advisable that we are seen focused on our legislative duties, our constituents, Abia State, and the Southeast at large.
“Sir, you must now use that all-important position as Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives to de-marginalize and reduce the agitation of our people and promote inclusiveness.
“My beloved brother, with due respect, your comments lacked introspection and reeks in recklessness, discernment, lack of humility, lack of rationality, and totally very unreasonable.
“If your ambition is to become the governor of Abia State by 2027, it is your right, but make it plain rather than hiding yourself in the shadows of discontent and display of insincerity and intemperate political culture.
“But I assure you that as you want Abians to repay Tinubu for his good works, so shall Abians repay Alex Otti for his mammoth achievements come 2027.
“Alex Otti will be reelected governor of Abia State.
“In your recent visits and encounters with His Excellency, ‘De Alley’ as you fondly call him, you had seized every opportunity to debunk many tales of your ambition for the governorship stool of Abia state come 2027 and each time pledging loyalty and support to the demonstrable and visible achievements of governor Alex Otti.
“My Honourable colleague, you should be made to know that there’s no vacancy in Abia State in 2027. As you are aware, for almost 24 years, this is the first time Abia has awakened to great leadership and governance strides.
“Anyone that doesn’t appreciate Dr. Alex Otti is an avowed enemy of progress. Recall that the Labour Party also won Bende Federal Constituency in 2023. We can also be brazen enough to declare that seat vacant again.
“My Right Honourable, this is not the first time the Southeast was blessed with the position of the Deputy Speaker. Right Honourable (Chief) Emeka Ihedioha in 2011.
“The opportunity now ought not be wasted only in rubbing shoulders and chanting your No 6 position at every opportunity.
“Sir, may it please you to note: while we appreciate President Tinubu for signing the Southeast Development Commission into law alongside Development Commissions for every geo-political zone in the country, we have not seen or heard our leader, the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, Right Honourable Dr. Tajudeen Abbas cajoling and mocking his people of the Northwest with his own feat of including the Northwest in the Development Commissions as the No 4 citizen in the federation. Humility is indeed a virtue.
“Right Honourable, methinks we should elevate the noble ideals of demonstrable unity and stop chiding yourself by each time dropping President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s name in a manner suggesting that Dr Alex Otti is at war with the President.
“President Tinubu and Governor Alex Otti had known each other, spanning their various careers for at least 20 years of their personal relationships.
“You have just arrived on the national stage in the last one year. So what is all this talk about “APC must take Abia to Tinubu?
“Lastly, my dear brother, please be reminded that the Labour Party under the leadership of Dr. Alex Otti took Abia State by a landslide in an election in which APC scored less than 4% of total state-wide votes to come a distant 4th position while Labour Party secured at least 65% of the lawful votes rendered.
“Dr. Alex Otti has since coming into the fray shown overwhelming capacity in transforming the state and changing our once negative narrative.
“To dream of taking Abia under the Labour Party government to APC will take much more than mere grandstanding.
“Abia people are still safe and will remain so with a high performing Alex Otti by 2027 and beyond.
“In the light of this, my sincere advice for you, my worthy and esteemed colleague, you should try a new political project if the position of the Deputy Speaker and the No.6 in the country is now belittling to your status.”
