The All Progressives Congress (APC), Abia State Chapter, has thrown its weight behind the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, over his recent comments on governance and accountability in the state.
The party said Mr Kalu’s remarks were rooted in facts and patriotic concern for the state’s development, contrary to the political attacks and misinterpretations that followed.
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In a press statement signed by Uche Egboka, the acting publicity secretary of the party, the Abia APC expressed concern over what it described as “growing tension and unwarranted mudslinging” against the deputy speaker.
The party noted that his speech during the commissioning of roads in Aba on 3 October, and his subsequent engagement at Abia Hotels, Umuahia, on 5 October, had sparked needless controversy from individuals who preferred political bickering to constructive engagement on governance issues.
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Mr Kalu, in his remarks, had called for greater transparency, accountability, and effective management of public funds by the Labour Party-led administration in the state.
The APC said it was regrettable that instead of addressing the substance of those issues, some political actors had resorted to personal attacks on the Deputy Speaker.
What led to the showdown
The tension began when Mr Kalu, while addressing members of the Renewed Hope Partners (RHP) in Umuahia on Sunday, declared that the APC was on course to take over power in Abia State in 2027.
He said the administration of the state governor, Alex Otti, had underperformed despite what he described as increased revenue inflows.
In response, Mr Otti’s media aide released a statement titled “Governance in Abia, Benjamin Kalu Needs Tutorials More Than He Needs a Microphone,” accusing the deputy speaker of ignorance and political grandstanding.
Mr Kalu’s office, however, maintained that his remarks were based on facts contained in official financial documents of the Abia State Government.
He cited data showing that between April and June 2025, the state allegedly received an average of ₦38 billion monthly and warned that the volume of ongoing government projects did not match the scale of revenue. He also questioned the ₦54 billion reportedly spent on renovating 51 public schools in 2024, demanding accountability.
Mr Kalu further declared that the APC would wrest Abia State from LP in 2027, which heightened the political undertone of his critique.
In that response, the government argued that the accurate total allocation from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), including local governments between January and August 2025, was ₦125 billion, contradicting Mr Kalu’s claim of monthly inflows of ₦38 billion (which, if true, would total ₦304 billion over eight months).
It also cautioned that nominal increases in revenue do not equate to increased fiscal power, citing exchange rate depreciation and inflation as factors that erode real value.
APC’s position
It is against this backdrop that the Abia APC reaffirmed its support for transparency, accountability, and good governance, stressing that, based on verifiable records, the Abia State Government received an average of ₦38 billion monthly between April and June 2025 as total revenue.
According to the party, the volume of ongoing projects in the state does not justify the over ₦1 trillion said to have accrued to the government since the beginning of the present administration. It argued that citizens have a right to demand proper utilisation of public resources, especially when the state continues to struggle with poor infrastructure, unpaid gratuities, and incomplete development projects.
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On the issue of education spending, the APC called for an independent investigation into the ₦54 billion allegedly spent on the renovation of 51 public schools in 2024, describing the figure as questionable.
“The Party demands an investigation into the N54 billion allegedly spent on the renovation of 51 public schools in 2024, which has remained a subject of controversy to date.”
The party also lent its voice to issues of workers’ welfare, backing the deputy speaker’s call for the payment of outstanding gratuities and pensions, as well as the implementation of the new national minimum wage as approved by the Federal Government.
Reaffirming its political resolve, the Abia APC restated its commitment to aligning with the federal government to promote good governance, accountability, and the welfare of all Abians.
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