The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has stated that the current governor of Abia State will be the last Labour Party candidate to lead the state.
Kalu made the revelation in a video that went viral on Monday while discussing his party, the All Progressives Congress,’ chances in the upcoming election.
According to the 53-year-old former spokesman of the National Assembly’s green chambers, who represents the Bende Federal Constituency, Otti has done well as governor, but the state need APC governance due to President Bola Tinubu’s contributions to the state.
He stated, “This will be the final time that a Labour governor will govern Abia State.” I don’t mince words. Abia State’s next governor will be from the APC.I’ve informed him, both publicly and privately, that the APC governor will be next in Abia State. I’m not sure how it’ll happen, but it will.
“I am sure because my government is working hard, as does the President, and Abia will repay the president. The president who gave you the South East Development Commission will be repaid.
“A president who appoints Abians to administration. A president who is reaping the benefits of democracy will be rewarded. We are not ungrateful individuals. Monkeys and baboons are incompatible. The APC will not help the state become strong, and Labour will take credit.”
Kalu stated that he could not serve as the country’s sixth citizen while another party ran his state, emphasising that the 2027 election will put a stop to this.
“We are friends, and we work together, but I will not be the country’s number six citizen, and another party will govern my state.” APC will participate in the next election in 2027.
“The APC will choose the next governor of Abia State. I don’t care who they are. However, I am confident that the APC platform will produce the next governor of Abia State.
“We are willing to work for Abia State, and we are tired of being outside of the central government. We need to use the center’s strength to boost Abia state’s growth,” he said.
Otti, a former bank head, is the only governor elected on the Labour Party platform in the March 2023 general election.
He received 172,246 votes, with Mr Ahiwe of the PDP coming in a distant second with 78,628 votes.
The difference in the margin between the LP and the PDP candidates was 93,618 votes.