Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North in the National Assembly, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) will secure victory in the 2027 presidential election in the South-East based on performance and credibility, not political defections.
Kalu, who is Chairman of the Senate Committee on the South-East Development Commission, made this known on Monday during an appearance on TVC’s ‘Journalists’ Hangout’.
He emphasised that the APC’s growing influence in the region is rooted in consistency, sacrifice, and developmental strides.
“We are not banking on defections to win in 2027. We are relying on hard work and results. Politics is about performance, not noise,” he said.
The former Abia State governor expressed strong confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, describing the economic measures currently causing hardship as “painful but necessary,” with long-term benefits expected.
“Reforms come with pain, but the gains will follow. I’ve sponsored a bill on social welfare and investment to reduce poverty, and I’ll meet with the President to fast-track it. We must show Nigerians that we care,” he added.
Kalu highlighted major federal infrastructure projects currently ongoing in the region, including the rehabilitation of roads connecting Enugu, Lokpanta, Aba, Port Harcourt, Bende, and Arochukwu.
“Before now, those roads were death traps. Today, they’re being rebuilt. The President is doing a lot in the South-East, and I believe the 2026 budget will bring even more,” he said.
Recalling his early days in the APC, Kalu said he was mocked for joining the party in 2016, when it had no significant presence in the region. He was the first senator elected on the APC platform from the South-East in 2019.
“People laughed at me when I joined the APC. Today, we have APC governors, senators, and House members across the zone. It’s a different story now,” he said.
Kalu stressed that the party would not rely on mass defections but would instead focus on winning public trust through governance and development.
“President Buhari got over 60% of the vote in Abia North in 2019. Tinubu didn’t perform well in the South-East in 2023, but we’re working hard to change that. People can now see visible signs of progress,” he said.
Addressing concerns of marginalisation in the South-East, Kalu argued that while the region had been sidelined historically, genuine inclusion is now possible through constructive engagement.
“I didn’t start the civil war, nor did I fight it. But we must now push for sincerity and equity. That’s how to move Nigeria forward.”
On the case of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, Kalu called for public respect for the rule of law.
“His case is before a competent court, and we should allow the judiciary to decide. Justice Omotosho is handling it, and no one should preempt the outcome.”
