Pecohub A fierce power play is unfolding in Abia State and the wider South-East as top political actors scramble to position themselves as President Tinubu’s preferred ally ahead of the 2027 elections, GORDI UDEAJA reports.
Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, the only state chief executive officer on the platform of Labour Party (LP), Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, also from Abia, former governor of the state, Orji Uzor Kalu, and Works Minister Dave Umahi, all on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), are locked in a quiet but intense contest for relevance and proximity to the presidency
Otti is leveraging his office and re-election bid to secure President Bola Tinubu’s goodwill, assuring the President of cooperation and electoral support. Kalu, the Deputy Speaker, presents himself as Tinubu’s most loyal foot soldier in Abia, utilising his national visibility to criticise Otti’s administration and promote the APC’s ambition to retake the state.
The incumbent Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, brings deep political connections and significant financial resources, insisting that the APC will deliver Abia for Tinubu. His occasional overtures to Otti underscore his desire to remain central to Tinubu’s political orbit.
Dave Umahi, meanwhile, operates as Tinubu’s regional emissary, using massive federal road projects to consolidate goodwill for the President and subtly shaping alignments across the South-East.
The rivalry reportedly came to a head when Tinubu allegedly cancelled a planned visit to commission projects in Abia and sent Umahi instead, a move that displeased Otti and exposed underlying tensions. As these actors jostle for supremacy, observers warn that governance is already taking a back seat.
Ultimately, Tinubu appears to be keeping all four close, sustaining a multi-centred power structure that strengthens his foothold in Abia and fits neatly into his broader 2027 political strategy.
For a state still rebuilding public trust after years of infrastructural decay and governance deficits, the emerging struggle for political control poses risks that go beyond personal rivalry. It threatens to stall reforms, distort priorities, weaken executive–legislative cooperation, and shift attention away from governance to early electioneering battles.
Those who have followed Abia politics agree that no other state in the country appears to be witnessing the level of early scheming already playing out in preparation for 2027.
Kalu’s ambition is said to be increasingly interpreted as a desire to supplant Otti and ensure the ruling party at the centre takes control of the state.
Though Kalu has not declared interest in contesting the governorship, party stakeholders believe his body language suggests a clear desire to reorganise Abia’s political structure in favour of the APC ahead of the next general elections.
But, another political heavyweight, Mascot Uzor Kalu, the younger brother of Senator Kalu, has quietly signalled interest in the governorship, although he has remained discreet for strategic reasons.
The Deputy Speaker has, however, taken the battle to the frontlines. He has launched the “Renewed Hope Partners for Kalu”, a state-wide mobilisation structure across Abia’s 17 local government areas, to promote his activities, raise political consciousness, and nurture the APC’s support base in readiness for 2027.
In response, Otti’s supporters have formed the “Abia Arise Movement” to promote the governor’s achievements and strengthen arguments for his continuity.
Flashpoint: Kalu questions Otti’s stewardship
The tension intensified after the Deputy Speaker openly criticised Governor Otti for allegedly failing to acknowledge the contributions of President Tinubu’s administration to projects executed in God’s Own State.
At the commissioning of some projects a few months ago, Kalu accused the governor of underperforming despite receiving what he claimed was N38–N40 billion in monthly revenue.
A week later, at an APC rally in Umuahia, Kalu doubled down. Addressing a crowd of party supporters, he declared an open mission to “dislodge Otti’s administration democratically in 2027” and ensure Abia aligns politically with the federal government.
“We have now come to take over, and there is no going back. APC will take over Abia State, so that what comes to Abia from Abuja would be more respectfully expended,” he said, announcing plans for a mega rally scheduled for December 29, 2025.
For Otti and his supporters, Kalu’s comments crossed the line. They accused him of being “economical with the truth,” deliberately inflating revenue figures and attempting to pull down the state government for political advantage.
Otti fires back
Responding through his Media Adviser, Ferdinand Ekeoma, Governor Otti dismissed Kalu’s claims as “spurious”, insisting the Deputy Speaker needed “tutorial more than he needs a microphone.” Ekeoma clarified that Abia’s total allocation for eight months stood at N125 billion, far from the N304 billion it would have been under Kalu’s alleged monthly inflow.
He further explained that the Otti administration inherited a civil service where only about 31,000 “core civil servants” were on the payroll, while thousands of others were ignored.
The current government, he said, has expanded the payroll to 67,000 workers, excluding 5,349 newly employed teachers, with a minimum wage now ranging from N70,000 to N74,000, up from N30,000 previously.
According to him, Kalu’s lack of financial understanding led him to make misleading statements. “Couldn’t he have sought help instead of disgracing himself the way he did?” he asked.
At a civic reception in Aba by the Old Bende community, Otti took a more restrained stance, warning politicians making boastful statements about 2027 to stop, insisting elections were “in God’s hands.” He described Kalu’s premature campaign activities as “illegal,” since INEC had yet to release guidelines.
