By Huldah Shado
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North, has announced his withdrawal of support for Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, declaring that he will work against the governor’s re-election ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kalu, a former governor of the state, said he would instead mobilise support for the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting he would no longer back the Labour Party-led administration.
Speaking on Thursday at his country home in Igbere, Kalu claimed he played a key role in Otti’s victory in the 2023 governorship election.
He attributed the fallout to a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Njoku Okaoha, which criticised him over his support for President Bola Tinubu and the APC.
The senator said he had avoided criticising the state government since Otti assumed office but described the recent statement as the “first salvo” in the rift.
Kalu questioned claims of the governor’s performance, alleging that the administration had not executed major infrastructure projects and was only rehabilitating roads built during his tenure.
He also accused the governor of neglecting rural communities.
He concluded that supporting his party should not attract public attacks, stressing that he would work to ensure the APC’s success in Abia State in 2027.
