*says support for S’west shortest route to Igbo presidency
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, PhD, CFR has reiterated the call of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for leaders of All Progressive Congress, APC to intensify engagement with party stakeholders, promote unity and cohesion, and foster reconciliation in the spirit of the season, while also checking on party leaders across the country.
Kalu who represents Bende Federal Constituency stated this during a series of courtesy visits across the three senatorial zones of Abia State – Abia North, Central and Abia South as part of efforts to strengthen party structures and align stakeholders with the broader vision of national unity and political stability.
In Abia North, the lawmaker paid a courtesy visit to former Senate Chief Whip and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, at Abia Central, he met with Senator John Bob Nwannunu, while in Abia South, he visited former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the defunct Hallmark Bank and a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sir Mac Wabara.
In all the meetings, the central theme remained party unity, internal strengthening, and the need for sustained collaboration among leaders and stakeholders for the growth of the party and the stability of the polity.
According to Kalu, the President’s message was clear: leaders at all levels must reach out to one another, put aside divisive tendencies, and work collectively to build a stronger, more cohesive party and nation.
The Deputy Speaker noted that this period provides an opportunity for reflection, reconciliation and renewed commitment to the ideals of unity and inclusive governance.
Speaking on the broader national political equation, the lawmaker urged Igbo people to be strategic and pragmatic in their political choices, stressing that votes should be invested, not wasted.
He argued that the shortest route to the emergence of an Igbo President lies in building strong political alliances, particularly by supporting the South West at this time, noting that such strategic support would strengthen trust, inclusion and reciprocity within the Nigerian political landscape.
Kalu reaffirmed his commitment to the President’s vision, party unity and the advancement of the South East within the national political framework, while assuring stakeholders of his continued dedication to effective representation and inclusive governance.
The lawmaker also presented his two-year scorecard to the elder statesmen and party leaders, openly inviting them to critique his performance so far.
He described the exercise as a necessary step to ensure accountability, self-assessment and improved service delivery to constituents.
“I believe leadership must be subjected to scrutiny. I presented my two-year scorecard and asked them to honestly assess what I have done so far, so I can do better,” he said
Kalu charged party stakeholders to immediately intensify grassroots mobilization and strategic engagement to ensure a resounding victory for the party in the 2027 general elections.
He declared that the era of merely negotiating for 25 percent votes for the President in Abia State is over, stressing that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state now has the structure, momentum and political capital to deliver outright victory.
Kalu expressed confidence that with growing grassroots support and renewed unity among stakeholders, Abia APC is fully positioned to win the state convincingly for President Bola Tinubu in future elections.
The Deputy Speaker said, “And in this I want us to remember that this President has shown leadership. The policies were tough but the President was steadfast, courageous in his policies. He defended those policies, stood by them, today we have started benefiting from those policies.
So, any man who did this is supposed to be praised, and I am happy that it is the government of APC that made this happen. Igbo’s, let us invest our votes. Igbo’s, let us not waste our votes. The time of wasting our votes just to prove a point, sentimental point is gone. What you play politics with is numbers, not how sentimental you were.
“If you carry your vote and dump it where it does not count toward success, you have wasted your opportunity to go to the negotiation table and ask for what you have invested in. Why do we ask for dividends if we have not made any investments? There is no company in this world that will pay you dividends when you have not made any investments. The time of the investment has come, in the next few months we’ll be expected to make investments. Are we going to make investments or are we going to waste investments? The vote we have in our hands is the currency for investments.
“When the time comes, I plead with the Igbo’s let your votes count, not because it is not going to be counted, or because it was given where it would not drive success, know that as it is today, in the political calculation President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is where we will invest our votes and it will count. That’s the truth, let’s keep sentiments aside, let’s forget emotions. He’s from the south, the southern political corridor must stay united, it must be consolidated, so that we will be seen as standing as one. Any attempt to use any sentiments to break us, and then the south east will go with a paltry sum of votes, whereas it will swing the way that we don’t want and this thing might go back to where it’s coming from. It’s not what we should encourage as leaders in Igbo land. We should invest our votes. We are investing it because truly these two years that the president has been in office, he has proven that he wants to work with the Igbo’s. He has proven that there is no discrimination in the allocation of projects, in the setting of projects. We may not have it all done at the same time but there is a political will to do the first thing. He’s a listening president, I beg of you let us stand by him, and his current policies.”
The elder statesmen, in their separate remarks, commended the Deputy Speaker for his impressive performance at the National Assembly, describing his interventions and contributions as impactful and people-oriented.
They lauded his decision to present his two-year scorecard for open critique, noting that it reflected transparency, humility and a commitment to effective representation.
They assured him of their continued support and pledged to work collectively to strengthen party structures and mobilize grassroots support to ensure resounding victory for the party at the polls come 2027.
