Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has declared that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu will not return to the Senate in 2027.
The governor said the Labour Party is ready to block any attempt by the former Abia governor to reclaim the Abia North senatorial seat.
He made this position known while reacting to comments credited to Senator Kalu on the 2027 general elections.
Kalu had reportedly spoken in Ebonyi State, where he promised to deliver a landslide victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress in 2027.
He also hinted at backing the emergence of the next Abia governor from the APC.
Otti responded through a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Ferdinand Ekeoma. He dismissed the senator’s remarks and made it clear that he does not need Kalu’s backing for his own political future.
According to the governor, the repeated public emphasis by Kalu that he would not support him against the APC candidate was unnecessary and unserious.
He insisted that he had never approached the senator for support, neither had he asked him to work against his party.
Otti also challenged Kalu to publicly present election results from his ward and polling units in the 2023 elections.
He argued that official figures showed the APC performed poorly in Bende Local Government Area, the senator’s home base, during both the governorship and presidential polls.
The governor questioned how the APC lost elections in Kalu’s constituency despite his claim of working hard for the party and the president. He said this raised doubts about the senator’s political influence at the grassroots.
Otti maintained that his victory in 2023 was based on trust, character, and a clear vision for Abia people. He added that the support he received then was built on promises, which he said have now translated into visible results across the state.
He expressed confidence that voters would give him even stronger backing in 2027, having seen what his administration has achieved in less than three years. He described the continued support of Abia people as firm and unwavering.
The governor further took a swipe at Kalu over the reported entry of his younger brother into the 2027 governorship race.
He recalled that the same individual contested the 2023 governorship election under another party and finished last.
Otti also revealed that several aspirants have already shown interest in contesting the Abia North senatorial seat on the platform of the Labour Party.
He assured that whoever emerges will enjoy full support from his administration ahead of the 2027 polls.
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