Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not depend on political defections or the influence of state governors to secure victory in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Monday during TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout anchored by Babajide Otitoju, the former Abia State Governor and Chairman, Senate Committee on the South-East Development Commission, said the APC’s growing strength in the South-East was the outcome of consistency, sacrifice, and hard work.
According to him, “When I joined the APC in 2016, I was the only South-East leader in the party. People mocked me, called me names, and thought I was mad to have joined a party that had no governor or lawmaker from our region.”
He added, “But I stood my ground and kept assuring the party leadership that it would be well. In 2019, I became the first senator elected on the APC platform from the South-East, and today the story has changed. We now have APC governors, senators, and House members across the zone.”
Senator Kalu emphasised that the ruling party would rely solely on grassroots mobilisation and performance to retain power.
“We are not relying on governors or defections to win. We are relying on hard work. Politics is about commitment and results, not noise. We are on the ground and determined to ensure that President Tinubu and all APC candidates perform well in 2027, especially in Abia and across the South-East,” he stated.
The former Senate Chief Whip expressed optimism that President Bola Tinubu would record significant success in the South-East during the next elections, pointing to the administration’s ongoing infrastructural projects as evidence of progress.
“In 2019, President Buhari got over 60% of the votes in my constituency, Abia North. Tinubu didn’t do well in 2023 because we didn’t mobilise enough, but this time, we are ready. Our people are beginning to see the progress in roads and infrastructure. The President has opened up roads long abandoned, and he’s doing more,” he said.
When asked about his long-held view on South-East marginalisation, Kalu clarified that the issue stemmed from post-civil war exclusion rather than deliberate neglect.
“I can always tell you that the South-East is not really marginalised, but we were put out of the scheme of things since after the civil war. I didn’t start the war, I didn’t fight in it, neither did I end it. What we need is sincerity and equity so that we can all move together and develop the country,” he explained.
On the ongoing trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Kalu called for respect for judicial processes.
“Nnamdi Kanu’s case is before a competent court, and it would be unfair for me to comment on his release. Justice Omotosho is handling the matter, and we should allow the courts to do their work. Nigerians must learn to respect the judiciary,” he said.
Senator Kalu also expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s economic reforms, describing them as a necessary step toward long-term stability.
“Reforms come with the good, the bad, and the ugly. Nigerians are feeling pain, yes, but these pains will lead to long-term gain. I’ve already sponsored a bill on social welfare and investment to reduce poverty, and I’ll meet the President to fast-track it. We must show Nigerians that we have them in our hearts,” he stated.
Highlighting visible federal projects in the South-East, the senator mentioned major ongoing works linking Enugu, Lokpanta, Aba, Port Harcourt, Bende, and Arochukwu.
“Before now, those roads were impassable. Today, they are being rebuilt. The President is doing a lot in our region, and I’m confident that the 2026 budget will reflect even more development for our people,” Kalu said.
