Cynthia Ezegwu
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North in the National Assembly, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not depend on defections to secure victory in the 2027 general elections, expressing confidence that President Bola Tinubu will achieve significant success in the South-East.
Speaking on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, Kalu, who chairs the Senate Committee on South-East Development Commission, said the ruling party’s growing influence in the region was the result of “consistency, sacrifice, and hard work.”
“We are not relying on defections to win. We are relying on hard work. Politics is about commitment and results, not noise,” Kalu stated.
He said the APC is consolidating its base in the South-East, adding that the Tinubu-led administration has demonstrated genuine commitment to regional development.
“We are on the ground and determined to ensure that President Tinubu and all APC candidates perform well in 2027, especially in Abia and across the South-East,” he said.
The former Abia State governor defended the president’s economic reforms, acknowledging the hardships Nigerians face but maintaining that the policies would deliver long-term benefits.
“Reforms come with the good, the bad, and the ugly. Nigerians are feeling pains, yes, but these pains will lead to long-term gains. I have already sponsored a bill on social welfare and investment to reduce poverty, and I will meet the President to fast-track it,” Kalu said.
He highlighted ongoing infrastructure projects in the region, including the reconstruction of federal roads connecting Enugu, Lokpanta, Aba, Port Harcourt, Bende, and Arochukwu, describing them as evidence of Tinubu’s commitment to regional progress.
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“Before now, those roads were impassable. Today, they are being rebuilt. The President is doing a lot in our region, and I am confident that the 2026 budget will reflect even more development for our people,” he added.
Kalu recalled being the lone political leader from the South-East in the APC when he joined in 2016, noting how the political tide has since turned in the party’s favour.
“When I joined the APC in 2016, I was the only South-East leader in the party. People mocked me, called me names, and thought I was mad. But I stood my ground. In 2019, I became the first senator elected on the APC platform from the South-East, and today the story has changed — we now have governors, senators, and House members across the zone,” he said.
He also urged respect for the judicial process in the ongoing trial of the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
“Nnamdi Kanu’s case is before a competent court, and it would be unfair for me to comment on his release. Justice Omotosho is handling the matter, and we should allow the courts to do their work,” Kalu said.