Kalu Claims Role in Otti’s Victory, Vows APC Takeover in 2027

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has ignited a fresh political firestorm in Abia State, claiming that Governor Alex Otti owes his 2023 electoral success to a late-night intervention at the Senator’s Igbere residence. In a stinging statement released by his media office on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, the former governor alleged that Otti visited him on the eve of the 2023 governorship election to seek strategic assistance. The revelation comes as a direct counter-attack following Governor Otti’s recent vow to ensure the All Progressives Congress (APC) is swept out of Abia North in the 2027 general elections.

The statement, signed by Kalu’s media aide, George Maduka, challenged the Governor to deny the secret meeting, which Kalu insists was a turning point in the Labour Party’s victory. According to the Senator, prominent figures within the Labour Party’s 2023 campaign structure, including state coordinator Chief Umeh Kalu, were part of the high-level discussions held in Igbere. Kalu questioned the logic of the Governor’s current hostility, asking, “If Senator Kalu was politically irrelevant, why was his house visited late at night just hours before the polls opened?”

This verbal warfare marks a significant breakdown in the fragile peace that has existed between the two political heavyweights. On Monday, the Governor’s spokesperson, Ferdinand Ekeoma, had released a bold declaration stating that the Labour Party was prepared to “sack” Kalu from the Senate in 2027. Ekeoma’s statement characterized Kalu’s influence as a relic of the past, suggesting that the “new Abia” under Otti’s leadership has no room for the Senator’s brand of politics. Kalu, however, remains undeterred, asserting that the APC is more united than ever and does not need the Governor’s cooperation to dominate the state’s future.

The Senator’s camp has signaled that the 2027 race will be a “battle for the soul of Abia,” promising to deliver the state to the APC at all levels. Kalu dismissed the Governor’s threats as “political posturing,” arguing that the APC remains the most solid political structure in the Southeast. He emphasized that the intervention he provided in 2023 was done out of a desire for equity, but warned that the political landscape has shifted significantly since then. For Kalu, the goal is clear: a total APC victory that will return the state to the central ruling party.

Political analysts in Umuahia view this exchange as the official opening salvo for the 2027 election cycle. While Governor Otti continues to enjoy high approval ratings for his infrastructure projects, Kalu’s deep-rooted influence in Abia North remains a formidable obstacle. By bringing the “secret night visit” into the public eye, Kalu is attempting to paint the Governor as an ingrate, a narrative that could resonate with traditional power brokers who value political loyalty.

As the accusations fly, the people of Abia are witnessing a realignment of forces. The Labour Party, which used the state as its primary stronghold in 2023, is now facing a rejuvenated APC backed by federal might and Kalu’s veteran experience. With both sides refusing to back down, the coming months are likely to see an escalation of probes, counter-accusations, and grassroots mobilization. For now, the “Igbere meeting” remains the focal point of a dispute that has turned former allies into bitter rivals.