2027: Gov Otti Uneasy Over Senator Orji Kalu’s Backing of President Tinubu — ANPF

A socio-political organisation, the Abia North Peace Foundation (ANPF), has alleged that Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, is uncomfortable with Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s decision to actively support the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
The group made the assertion while responding to Governor Otti’s recent remarks concerning the 2027 political landscape in Abia State.

According to the Foundation, the Governor is opposed to President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that strategies deployed against the President during the 2023 elections, including what it described as the use of religious sentiments, would not be effective in 2027.
Speaking on behalf of the Foundation, its Director-General, Chief Nnanna Ukaegbu, criticised what he termed inconsistent statements from the Abia State Government, saying they pointed to uncertainty within the administration.
Ukaegbu observed that while Governor Otti, in one instance, claimed to welcome Senator Kalu’s anticipated political contest in 2027, another statement reportedly threatened to “deal him a crushing defeat.” He described the conflicting positions as a sign of instability at the top of the state government.
He questioned whether Governor Otti genuinely expected Senator Kalu to publicly oppose his own party, the APC, in both the presidential and governorship elections, noting that the Senator had consistently maintained his commitment to advancing his party’s interests.
“There is nothing abnormal or intimidating about a politician openly supporting his party,” Ukaegbu said, describing Senator Kalu’s position as standard democratic conduct.
The Foundation further alleged that Governor Otti appeared to be overlooking recent political developments, recalling that the Governor reportedly visited Senator Kalu on several occasions, including on the eve of the governorship election. It added that several political figures also sought the Senator’s intervention before the final announcement of election results.
Ukaegbu also claimed that many appointees in the Abia State Government were underutilised, alleging that the Governor preferred to centralise decision-making. He advised Governor Otti to concentrate more on governance than political rhetoric, which he said portrayed the state in a poor light.
While acknowledging that some Labour Party officials were relatively new to politics, the Foundation maintained that Senator Kalu was not known for making empty threats or promoting division, stressing that he had sustained long-standing relationships across various communities.
Describing Senator Kalu as a seasoned politician, the group said he embraced political competition and had consistently achieved electoral success through diligence rather than manipulation.
The Foundation also revisited the 2023 elections, alleging that Governor Otti made repeated attempts to unseat Senator Kalu in Abia North but was unsuccessful, despite benefiting from what it described as the “Obi wave” that characterised that election cycle.
It cautioned against what it called excessive adulation of the Governor, noting that Otti’s emergence as governor was the result of collective efforts by numerous stakeholders, some of whom it claimed had since been marginalised.
According to the Foundation, Senator Kalu’s greatest strength remained the support of the people, whom it said were capable of distinguishing between genuine service and mere political messaging, adding that public perception could not be altered through propaganda.