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The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has assured his supporters that he will soon respond to calls for him to run for the Abia governorship in 2027.
He spoke on Tuesday at a meeting of politicians and elders from different communities in his Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State.
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Mr Kalu, who is serving his second term in the National Assembly, described the support from his people as “organic” and urged them to wait to hear from him at the right time.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Kalu was presented with a machete and a traditional girdle by community elders at the meeting to symbolise preparedness.
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He said: “You have always done this symbolic preparation and given me the blessings of our elders and the spirit of our land.
“And every time I have gone with your blessing, I have always won.
“I am not afraid. I am prepared to listen to what you have said. I will come back with a decision soon.”
Mr Kalu assured the people that he would announce his decision in Umuahia, the Abia capital, in line with Nigeria’s Constitution.
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Stakeholders, including Abia Representative in the Public Complaints Commission, Madukwe Ukaegbu, and Hagler Okorie, a professor, cited Mr Kalu’s leadership and “quality” representation as attributes that made him “unassailable for the plum job”.
“Bende people are gathered here today because we are proud of you, because you have shown capacity in your representation and we know that you will do better as governor,” Mr Ukaegbu said.
NAN further reports that support groups from different communities in the constituency displayed placards with different inscriptions, urging Mr Kalu to join the race.
