2027: Governor Otti Cautions Kalu Over Election Campaign Statements, Advises Election Riggers to Write Will Ahead

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has cautioned the Deputy Speaker, House of Representative, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu over election campaign statements to ‘take over the state in 2027’ as he also warned those planning to rig the 2027 election in the state to first write their will.

Governor Otti made the statement while responding to questions fed by journalist, during the monthly media chat held at the government house on thursday.

Hon. Benjamin Kalu represents Bende Federal Constituency of Abia state, in the House of Representatives.  

Governor Otti however welcomed Kalu’s decision to run for the office of the governor come 2027, but also cautioned him on the dangers of going against the election rules of campaigning when the electoral body, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not ordered to do so.

Gov. Otti said he thinks that Kalu has a few challenge which he called one, “hubris” (excessive pride or dangerous overconfidence that often leads to one’s downfall). Gov. Otti however said he has forgiven kalu over statements to berate his administration and himself.

“I think I have to forgive him. Do I feel threatened? Absolutely no! I think he was terrified by the organic show of love from Aba and Umuahia people. Governor Otti said.

Governor Otti also cautioned Kalu on the dangers of heating the polity which he said will truncate the peace enjoyed in the state for the past two years.

In his words: ‘‘I heard he wants to run in 2027, that’s fine, it is his fundamental human right, nobody should stop him, but again we must respect the law.

‘‘If INEC releases the time table and they say this is the time campaign starts, if you start campaigning before then, you will put yourself in harm’s way, you can even be disqualified before the election, but when you gather people and tell then you are going to take over the state in 2027, you are campaigning, it is not right.  

‘‘I will plead with him that if he wants to run, election, he should hold his fire, once INEC blows the whistle, he should go and pick up a form, and begin to campaign, it’s for Abia people to decide who will be their governor.

‘‘The APC should know that they are been de-marketed in Abia, but I will call on our people to still hold their peace and be calm. We have managed in the last two years plus to keep this place peaceful and we should continue to maintain the peace.

Governor Otti also warned all those planning to manipulate election results in the state in the coming general election, he advised them to write their will before that time.

‘‘I heard some people say they will take over the state and they will write the result, the only advice I have for them is that if they truly want to write result, they should write something else before that time, you know what it is, their will.

‘‘This is our state, nobody can intimidate us. Am I threatened? Absolutely no! Do I border about that, absolutely no! But I want us to maintain peace and decorum. Power belongs to God, he gives it to who he wills. Governor Otti said.

BACKGROUND

The tension began when Hon Kalu, while addressing members of the Renewed Hope Partners (RHP) in Abia, declared that the APC was on course to take over power in Abia State in 2027.

He said the administration of the state governor, Alex Otti, had underperformed despite what he described as increased revenue inflows.

In response, Mr Otti’s media aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma released a statement titled “Governance in Abia, Benjamin Kalu Needs Tutorials More Than He Needs a Microphone,” accusing the deputy speaker of ignorance and political grandstanding.

Mr Kalu’s office, however, maintained that his remarks were based on facts contained in official financial documents of the Abia State Government.

He cited data showing that between April and June 2025, the state allegedly received an average of ₦38 billion monthly and warned that the volume of ongoing government projects did not match the scale of revenue. He also questioned the ₦54 billion reportedly spent on renovating 51 public schools in 2024, demanding accountability.

Mr Kalu further declared that the APC would wrest Abia State from LP in 2027, which heightened the political undertone of his critique.

In that response, the government argued that the accurate total allocation from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), including local governments between January and August 2025, was ₦125 billion, contradicting Mr Kalu’s claim of monthly inflows of ₦38 billion (which, if true, would total ₦304 billion over eight months).

It also cautioned that nominal increases in revenue do not equate to increased fiscal power, citing exchange rate depreciation and inflation as factors that erode real value.