The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has asked stakeholders of the Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to expand their grassroots mobilisation and get more people to join the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kalu made the call when he received the members of the Ukwa local government area chapter of APC in Abia State and the party’s new members led by the State’s representative in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Dimgba Eruba, in Umuahia recently.
A statement by Kalu’s Special Assistant on Press Affairs, Udora Orizu, on Friday, stated that the Deputy Speaker stressed the need to consolidate power to ensure that President Bola Tinubu emerges victorious come 2027 general election and as well ensure that APC wins the next gubernatorial election in the state.
Commending the party faithful for the good work done so far in ensuring that more people join the party in Ukwa local government area, Kalu urged the people to keep it up and continue the expansion of the party’s membership base.
Elated by the gale of defections to the APC in the South-East, the Deputy Speaker specifically asked the NDDC Commissioner, Eruba, to use his position to continue to build the party for the victory of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the next election.
He urged him to keep him updated on the various interventions he’s making in this regard, in different local government areas of the state.
Kalu lauded Tinubu’s style of leadership and friendly disposition towards the South-East region, recalling that the President helped in his emergence as the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives in the spirit of equity and fairness.
Orizu quoted the Deputy Speaker as saying, “You have done well. Ukwa is collapsing. The testimony is clear. Continue the good work. I met with the Governor the other day and I urged him to return to APC. We need to deliver here for Mr. President, we have to keep mobilizing until the sitting Governor will see that it’s APC everywhere you go.
“Keep up the good work, bring more people, let’s expand the party. We will hold an event where all the big people, that have structure in the party will receive you, from Bende, Ohafia, Item, Umuahia, Ukwa and so on. I will bring the national chairman of the party to receive you. We will make sure that as you’re coming in, you will be stakeholders. You will have a stake and you’re accountable. We will try our best to support Mr President as he supports you, by building the party. Thank you all.”
Earlier, the group led by Chief Eruba lauded President Tinubu for choosing one of their own to represent Abia at the NDDC, and as well hailed the Deputy Speaker for the good works he has been doing since assuming of office in June, 2023.
They assured the Deputy Speaker that Ukwa people were fully behind him, adding that they would mobilise more people to join the APC fold.
“More are still willing to come. They have seen the good work that you’ve started, they now said that wherever you’re, that’s where they will be. I wish to implore your excellency to continue to do that which you’ve started. Ukwa people are solidly behind you. We are waiting for further directives, what next should we do. We’ll deliver APC 100%. Ukwa belongs to APC,” Eruba stated.