- The APC has denied the reports of Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu endorsing Governor Otti’s re-election bid
- Uche Aguoru, the APC spokesperson in Abia, labelled the endorsement claim as misleading and malicious propaganda
- The APC also condemned the partisan use of traditional rulers for political support in the upcoming elections
The Abia State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has debunked the report that the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has endorsed Governor Alex Otti for his second term bid in the 2027 general elections.
Uche Aguoru, the APC publicity secretary in Abia state, made the denial in a statement sent to Legi9t.ng on Friday, May 8, describing the report as “misleading, malicious and deceptive propaganda.”
Photo Credit: @OfficialAPCNg
Source: Twitter
Aguoru alleged that the Labour Party-led administration of Governor Otti was “built on propaganda, media manipulation, and misinformation,” adding that the people of Abia are aware of the script.
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The statement reads in part:
“For the benefit of unsuspecting members of the public who may be misled by these desperate falsehoods, we wish to categorically state that Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu remains a loyal, committed, and dedicated party man, as well as the undisputed leader of the APC in Abia State.
“At no time, either publicly or privately, has Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu endorsed Governor Alex Otti for a second term. On the contrary, the Deputy Speaker has remained resolute and fully committed to the mission of ensuring that the All Progressives Congress wins all elective positions in Abia State and takes over Government House, Umuahia, come May 29, 2027.
“His determination to ensure that the Labour Party administration in Abia State is voted out remains strong, consistent, and unwavering, especially in view of what many Abians consider the mismanagement of the state across critical sectors of governance.”
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APC kicks against Otti’s endorsement by traditional rulers
Also, the APC chairman in the state, Chijioke Chukwu, expressed concerns about the use of the Abia State Traditional Rulers Council to mobilise support for Governor Otti in the 2027 elections. Chukwu described the “development as morally inappropriate, constitutionally disturbing and democratically unhealthy.”
He said:
“The APC acknowledges that sensitising citizens to obtain Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) remains a commendable civic responsibility consistent with democratic participation. The Party strongly condemns the open partisan mobilisation of traditional institutions for the political benefit of any incumbent government or political party under the thin guise of mobilisation for PVCs.
“Traditional rulers are fathers of all, irrespective of political affiliations. Their revered stools are symbols of communal unity, moral authority, cultural heritage and social stability, not extensions of partisan political structures or campaign platforms for any government in power.
“The Party notes with serious concern that the open endorsement of a political office holder by traditional rulers has the dangerous tendency of intimidating opposition voices at the grassroots, suppressing political plurality and eroding public confidence in the neutrality and integrity of traditional institutions.”
Source: Legit.ng