The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has dismissed rumours that he is obstructing Abia State Governor Alex Otti from defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that his public invitation to the governor stems purely from personal friendship and the party’s strategic interests.
Speaking to journalists at his residence in Bende, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State on Friday, Kalu emphasised that he has actively facilitated defections to the APC, citing the recent switch by former Abia Governor Theodore Orji as an example of his ongoing membership recruitment efforts.
“Even the narrative that I want to block him from coming to APC is not true,” Kalu stated. “If I was self-centered, I would have blocked him from entering APC but here I am the one inviting him to APC.”
He further clarified that occupying the governorship position is not his ultimate political goal. “Being Governor is not the ultimate ambition for people like me,” he said, adding that his primary focus remains attracting meaningful development to his Bende Federal Constituency.
Kalu explained that any decisions regarding his future political aspirations would be guided by the APC leadership and the people of Abia State.
The Deputy Speaker also reaffirmed his longstanding advocacy for the creation of an additional state in the South East geopolitical zone to bring it on equal footing with other regions. According to him, such a move would promote national cohesion, unity, and overall progress.
Additionally, Kalu addressed concerns over federal road projects he facilitated for his constituency, rejecting claims that some have been abandoned and assuring residents of continued commitment to infrastructure delivery.
