Deputy Speaker lauds President Tinubu for establishing South East Development Commission, says Igbo will reward him at the polls
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win more than 70 percent of the votes from the South East in the 2027 general election. Speaking during a grand reception in his honour at Ntalakwu, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Kalu attributed this projection to President Tinubu’s commitment to the development of the region, particularly through the recent establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC).
“The people of the South East will not forget this gesture,” Kalu said. “No President has fulfilled the post-civil war promise of reconstruction and reintegration like President Tinubu has done with the SEDC.” The event, hosted by the Atuma Grace Movement led by former federal lawmaker Chief Emeka Atuma, also saw Kalu conferred with the chieftaincy title “Dike Eji Aga Mba,” meaning “The People’s Warrior,” by King Larry of Ntalakwu ancient kingdom.
Kalu used the occasion to welcome several high-profile defectors from the Labour Party (LP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), including Retired Major Akubundu Awa, former Abia State House Majority Leader Chief Wisdom Ogbonna, and former Oboro PG Chief Kingsley Uwa. “President Tinubu signed the SEDC bill into law and backed it with funding, despite skepticism,” Kalu noted. “He loves Ndi Igbo, and we remember those who love us.”
Kalu also addressed growing concerns over alleged attempts by Abia State authorities to limit traditional rulers’ involvement in federal engagements. He criticized any restrictions preventing local monarchs from interacting with federal officials. “It is wrong for traditional rulers to be barred from receiving representatives of the federal government,” Kalu stated. “Now is the time for governance, not division. Let Abia be free.”
In his welcome address, Chief Atuma reaffirmed APC’s growing strength in Abia, declaring Kalu as the party’s leading figure in the state. “This is your day,” Atuma told Kalu. “You are the pinnacle of APC leadership in Abia, and we are with you on this journey to greater heights.” The event reflected renewed political momentum for the APC in the South East, with growing support consolidating ahead of the 2027 elections.
