Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has firmly rejected the intimidation implied by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who recently declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) intends to seize control of the state in the 2027 elections.
During his October media briefing titled “Governor Otti Speaks to Abians” held in Umuahia, the state capital, Otti clarified that he has no intention of abandoning the Labour Party for the ruling APC, despite some of his peers making such moves.
He emphasized that the election results will ultimately be shaped by divine will and the collective voice of the people, cautioning those who plan to manipulate outcomes to first consider whose will they are truly imposing.
“I’ve heard murmurs from some quarters about forcibly taking over this state and fabricating results. My counsel to them is simple: before attempting to alter election outcomes, they should try to impose their own will first,” Otti remarked.
While acknowledging Kalu’s legitimate ambition to contest for the governorship, Otti described the deputy speaker as both a friend and a younger brother, expressing forgiveness for his repeated provocative statements and urging him to prioritize the state’s unity and peace.
Kalu’s remarks came roughly two weeks ago during a rally in the state capital, shortly after President Bola Tinubu’s visit to inaugurate projects completed under Otti’s administration.
In an earlier instance, which Otti had casually dismissed, Kalu boldly claimed that Otti would be the final Labour Party governor of Abia State, signaling a clear political challenge.
