Reactions have continued to trail the recent viral video of the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, where he vowed that the APC will take over Abia in the next gubernatorial election, adding that Governor Alex Otti is the last Governor, Labour Party will produce in the State.
This comment has sparkled series of reactions from Abians across party lines,who felt the Reps Deputy Speaker went overboard with his statement.
The Member representing Isialangwa North/South Federal Constituency,at the Green Chamber, Hon Ginger Onwusibe, declared that Governor Alex Otti would convincingly win the Governorship election under the Labour Party(LP) come 2027, maintaining that the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, is aware of the fact that "No Party will Defeat Governor Alex Otti come 2027 and that is why, he (Kalu), is trying to lobby Governor Otti to join APC and contest under the party’s platform.
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Addressing Journalists on Monday at his Amapu Ntigha Country home, the lawmaker cautioned political merchants whose trade are to instigate crises and heat up the polity to desist from misrepresenting the political statement of the Deputy Speaker, who already knows that it would be difficult for any political party to defeat Governor Alex Otti and the Labour Party come 2027.
The most important is that Rt Hon Ben Kalu has acknowledged the performance of the Governor of Abia State and he applauded him for performing better than all former governors. "That statement is indirectly and simply calling our performing Governor, Dr Alex Otti,to come and fly APC Governorship flag come 2027, knowing that LP will defeat APC in 2027 with Dr Alex Otti.
“As a Politician, I understand the intention but unfortunately Abians are comfortable with Governor Alex Otti and will elect him come 2027 under the LP platform “
Also, the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, Hon Obi Aguocha, in his response to the video, said the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, disrespected and denigrated the office of the incumbent Governor with his open vituperation.
According to him, the Deputy Speaker lacks the audacity to declare the seat of the Governor of the state vacant in 2027.
In a Press Statement, the Lawmaker said the comments of the Deputy Speaker lacked introspection and reeks in recklessness, discernment, lack of humility, lack of rationality, and totally very unreasonable.
He said if the ambition of the Deputy Speaker is to become the Governor of Abia State by 2027, it is his right and he should make it plain, rather than hiding himself in the shadows of discontent and display of insincerity and intemperate political culture. He added that as Kalu wants 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",he stated.
In the same vein, a Chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance(APGA), Etigwe Uwa SAN, said in 2027,Abians would decide which Party to vote for, pointing that the Deputy Speaker cannot force a Party on Abians.
Reacting to the development, the APGA Chieftain said Abians are politically astute enough not to hand over leadership of their state on the basis of any franchise granted by any political party.
He said Abia should seek for the most competent political Party to hand over the Governorship.
“Quite apart from the fact that political parties in Nigeria, with the exception of one or two, have no strong ideological anchor, the ingress and egress of politicians in and out of political parties is dictated largely by selfish considerations of where best a politician’s bread is buttered.
“Any discerning and realistic observer does not require too much wisdom to know that Abians would seek out the most competent person in 2027 and succeeding elections regardless of party affiliation.
“To posit that a party would take over Abia State in 2027 now that Abians do not know who the candidates would be is an overly presumptuous and condescending insult on the corporate intelligence of Abians. Abians will make an informed assessment and determine for themselves who they would elect when the time comes".
Etigwe Uwa, however, advised Abians to be cautious,deliberate and make critical decisions on the best candidate to choose come 2027, stressing that they should look before they leap and don't vote an unsuitable candidate simply on account of a magic wand waved through a party flag.
He advised politicians to focus on governance and policies that would relief the sufferings of the masses and leave politics, as the atmosphere is still too early.
In another development, a chieftain of the Labour Party(LP), Hon Destiny Akaraka Nwagwu had confronted the Deputy Speaker, stating that, no right thinking Abian would vote for APC.
Hon Destiny Nwagwu dismissed the statement credited to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, that APC would take over Abia State Government House come 2027,declaring it as an ‘impossible reality”.
In a Press Conference in Aba, Monday, the Labour Party Chieftain said no right thinking Abian will cast his vote for APC to takeover the State Government House.
According to him, the policies of the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu, has inflicted untold hardship on Nigerians, which he said would affect the chances of the APC in the State and the entire South East.
He further advised the Deputy Speaker not to arrogate the power of God to himself by proclaiming what will happen in 2027.
“Only God and Abians made Dr Alex Otti Governor, Let no man arrogate undue powers to himself to avoid God's wrath.
“The Deputy Speaker should be more concerned about his own re-election because Bende and Abia People are tired of the APC and their negative policies.
“Come 2027, Governor Alex Otti will be reelected as Governor of Abia State under the Labour Party”he concluded.
Also,in a swift response,the Senior Special Adviser to the Abia State Governor on Due Process and Public Procurement, Dr Oluebube Chukwu, described the Statement of Hon Ben Kalu as lacking merit, reaffirming the Labour Party's dominance in the state.
Dr Chukwu who is a Labour Party (LP) stalwart in Abia State, said Abians would vote LP again and again because the party had delivered on their promises and have shown that they truly care for the welfare of our people.
He described the Deputy Speaker's claims that the current Governor of Abia State would be the last the Labour Party would produce, as a mendacious propaganda, adding that the LP's achievements in the state within the past 15 months are worth commending, particularly in the area of infrastructural development, healthcare, education among others.
"The people of Abia are not foolish, they know what they want and they have chosen LP as their preferred party. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that their trust in us is not misplaced".
Recall that the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, in a trending video, vowed to deliver Abia to APC come 2027 gubernatorial election.
Kalu boasted that the current Labour Party Governor of Abia State would be the last the party would ever produce,as his mandate is to deliver Abia to APC,to repay the President all the gestures done to Abians and South Easterners in general.
