Former Abia State Governor and current Senator for Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged the South East to take full advantage of the benefits that come with being part of the country’s mainstream political landscape.

In a post shared on his official Facebook page, Kalu expressed concern that President Bola Tinubu was dissatisfied with the 4% vote he received in Abia State during the 2023 presidential election. He pointed out that this was troubling, especially given the strong presence of APC personalities in Abia at the time.

Kalu called on APC members to unite and work towards securing victory for the party in Abia in 2027. He added that the stakeholders’ meeting he held at his Abuja residence was aimed at rallying Abia APC members and promoting unity within the party. He also clarified that Governor Alex Otti was not part of the discussions.

While Kalu avoided publicly criticizing Governor Otti, he emphasized that the people, not any individual, should determine the fate of their leaders. He recalled the 2019 elections when President Buhari secured 68% of the vote in his constituency, but President Tinubu could only manage 4% in the entire state in 2023.

Kalu concluded by stressing that the South East must align itself with the broader political environment, saying, “The South East as a whole has to belong where other Nigerians are sitting.”