By Udora Orizu

“One vision, one direction, one victorious movement.”

As preparations gather momentum for the 2027 general elections, the Abia State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has sent a clear and resounding message: unity at home, victory at the polls — all in unwavering support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and his Renewed Hope Agenda.

Echoing President Bola Tinubu’s call for unity and collective purpose, the party leaders, members and stakeholders from across the state in a resounding demonstration of unity also threw their weight behind the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu PhD, LL.D, CFR as the undisputed leader of the party in the state.

The decision was reached at the Party’s Pre-Congress and National Convention Stakeholders’ Meeting held in Bende, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State. The meeting brought together a wide array of influential politicians and leaders in the State.

They include; member representing Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency of Abia State, Hon. Chris Nkwonta; minister of State for Labour, Hon. Nkiru Onyejiocha, many former Senators such as Dr. Nkechi Nwogu, Senator Chris Adighije; former member of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Emeka Atuma; another fomer member, Hon. Sam Onuigbo; the National Welfare Secretary of the party, Chief Donatus Nwankpa; over 5 former Speakers of the State House of Assembly including, Rt. Hon. Christopher Ewerenmadu, Rt. Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka, Rt. Hon. Martins Azubuike; former and serving members of the State Assembly which included Hon. Aaron Uzodike who formerly defected to the APC from the PDP; over 20 former local government chairmen; 100 former commissioners; several commissioners in various federal government parasites; many captains of industries; other high profile politicians across the 17 Local Government Areas of the State, amongst others.

The Party leaders passing a resounding vote of confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for his people-oriented leadership, adopted him as the sole candidate for President in the forthcoming 2027 election.

In the same breath, the Abia APC described Hon. Kalu as a unifying force whose influence has repositioned the APC in Abia, expanded its grassroots appeal, and fostered harmony among members.

The Deputy Speaker who chaired the meeting said that the ultimate goal is to deliver President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 election.

Kalu preached unity and peace among the members of the party, saying that the days of factionalization are over.

He said: “Everything we have come to do today boils down to one thing: delivering His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Let me say it again. All we came to do is to make sure that the structures that we set up within the party, be it at the Ward level, local government level or State, at the end of the day, we will deliver President bola Ahmed Tinubu. I want to move a motion and that motion is that Abia State APC wholly adopts the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as our sole candidate for the coming election. Those in support that we are passing a great vote of confidence on our President, and as a party in Abia State, we are adopting him as the sole candidate for the office of the President, come 2027 say, aye. Those against, they are not here. You can now see that Mr. President has been adopted as our sole candidate. This motion was seconded by the Welfare Secretary of the National Working Committee.

“I thank you all most profoundly for coming out en masse and supporting the membership registration. When we were doing this membership registration, the national chairman was calling me, waking me up every morning and was the last person to speak to me every night. He was worried about our State simply because we don’t have a sitting governor like other States, but I assured the national chairman that I was canceling my trip overseas, returning to base for us to work together as stakeholders. Some people who are not members of our party claimed that we don’t have the numbers. The National Working Committee panicked whether the President will have sufficient soldiers of the party with the capacity to deliver the 25% or more during election, but I assured Mr. Chairman that we will use this to prove a point that though we don’t have a governor, we have a Deputy Speaker. There are leaders who lead from their bedrooms and there are leaders who lead from the battlefront. I decided to cancel my holidays throughout the parliamentary holiday season and return to base.

“When we crossed 50,000, I told them, we will get 100,000 and they doubted me, and we crossed 100,000. When we crossed 100,000, I told them that we’ll get to 150 000, and they doubted me again, and we crossed it and went to over 160,000 today. Let nobody lie to you. Be strong. Be courageous. We have all it takes to deliver to Mr. President more than the 25%. Between now and one year, when the election will come, we will satisfy Mr. President with the number of the members of this great party of ours. It’s a promise. We are not relenting. We are marching forward. We are not looking back. We are pushing because the train has taken off”.

On the forthcoming Ward Congresses, the Deputy Speaker, said that he has secured the nomination forms for the party and would be distributed soon.

“Let me preach unity. Let me preach peace. Everybody is important in this party. Let me say it again, everybody is important in APC. Please, I beg of you. We are marching forward, but that match will only be accomplishing the result we have set to achieve if we match together. We must come together. Everybody is important. Let us treat everyone with that sense of importance. We don’t have factions in this party. So, don’t come and tell me about factions. Anybody maintaining faction is not a member of our party. It’s part of our resolution today. Anybody who wants to maintain factions is not a member of APC. We must be together if we are going to win massively in this state. We must be together. When they call you and say, you belong to my faction, please run. Tell them that the leadership of the party said zero faction for APC. Whatever comes, we will share it equitably and fairly. Anything that comes, we share it with respect. We must work together.

“Let me also announce to you that the Congress is coming up on Wednesday. That is the Ward Congress. In other States, governors will pay for the form and bring it back home. In our State, we don’t have Governor and I went and I paid for it. But this form is not my personal property. I brought it for you. It’s for you. It’s not for me to now decide it must be this person or that person. I say, we have passed that level. Where we are now, I play my role in the hierarchy of government today”, Kalu said.

The APC leaders, beaming with satisfaction, extolled the Deputy Speaker’s leadership and remarkable service to the party, unanimously affirming Kalu as their guiding figure.

In his remarks, Hon. Chris Nkwota said, “Your excellency, the Deputy Speaker of the 10th assembly, House of Representatives, distinguished party stakeholders and leaders present. I’m speaking at a time when what I want to say has been said by everyone. Let me make a very important point that the leadership of Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu is not in doubt. It is not about age. It is about the position that God has bestowed on you. By age I’m his senior but today he’s my leader and I will accord him all the respect that he truly deserves.

“There is no doubt. There is no ambiguity. There is absolute clarity that he is the leader of APC in Abia State. I won election under PDP, he was the one that encouraged me that I should come over to APC and I said yes because I believe in him, I believe in his leadership. Today I am a member of APC. Number 2 person in House of Representatives from Abia. But what I want to say today is that kindly come over to APC. I don’t like to lose any fight. It is important that we succeed in all our endeavors in the forthcoming elections. And the key to that is party unity. Without unity, there is little or nothing we can achieve and that unity begins by recognising the hierarchy, the authority, the line up. We are going into congress. It is very clear that we have political leaders irrespective of their age, we have major stakeholders. There is no reason why we can’t succeed. I’ll say it over and over again. I cannot stay in my ward and decide who will be a ward chairman in another ward because when the time comes for election, you will not vote in your ward and vote in another person’s ward. Go to your wards, come together, agree on a date, we know who the stakeholders are, we know who the board leaders are, get involved so that when the time comes for election you will stay in your ward and ask him, how are you doing. Do not disenfranchise anybody Let everyone of us be involved and that is for me a panacea for victory.”

At the conclusion of the meeting the leaders issued the following communiqué; Intensified Membership Mobilization Stakeholders resolved to deepen grassroots mobilization and sustain momentum in the ongoingmembership e-registration exercise to strengthen the Party’s structure across all wards and local government areas in Abia State. Party Unity and Internal Cohesion the meeting reafirmed an unwavering commitment to unity, reconciliation, and collective progress. Leaders and members were urged to prioritize party interest above personal considerations and to work collaboratively to maintain internal stability.

“Massive Participation in INEC Voter RegistrationThe Party emphasized the need for massive participation in the ongoing voter registrationexercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that all eligiblemembers and supporters are empowered to fully participate in future elections. Forthcoming Congresses and Leadership Responsibility Stakeholders charged all leaders to take responsibility within their respective wards and localgovernment areas in the forthcoming congresses, ensuring inclusiveness, transparency, andstrict adherence to party guidelines. Leaders were advised to confine their influence to their constitutionally recognized domains to guarantee a smooth and credible process.

“Support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Renewed Hope AgendaThe Abia State APC unanimously declared its total support for President Bola Ahmed TinubuGCFR, and formally endorsed him for a second term in 2027. The endorsement is in recognitionof his bold reform agenda, commitment to national unity, adherence to the power rotationprinciple, and policies aimed at addressing Nigeria’s structural challenges. The meeting also expressed support for ongoing and planned federal projects in theSouth-East, including road rehabilitation, rail expansion, and renewed attention tolong-neglected infrastructure, which demonstrate greater federal inclusion of the region. Stakeholders acknowledged the administration’s economic reforms and emphasis onprivate-sector-led growth as measures capable of unlocking greater opportunities for enterprise,manufacturing, and trade in the South-East.”

The gathering closed with renewed resolve to strengthen unity, expand membership, and position the APC as the dominant political force in Abia State — all in steadfast support of President Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

In Abia, the direction is clear: one voice, one purpose — consolidated leadership at the center, united structures at the base, and total commitment to delivering victory in 2027.

~ Orizu is SA Press Affairs to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

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