The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has dismissed speculations linking him to the 2027 Abia State governorship race, saying his present focus is on governance and delivering on his legislative mandate.
Kalu spoke with journalists in Bende, his hometown in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, where he maintained that any decision about contesting for governor would be determined by his political party at the appropriate time.
According to him, holding the office of governor is not the peak of political ambition, stressing that his involvement in politics is driven strictly by service to the people.
“It is the call from the party that will make me run, if they find me worthy. Political ambition does not end with being a governor. I can fit in beyond being a governor. It is not the ultimate. I have no business being in politics except to serve the people,” Kalu said.
He explained that his responsibilities as Deputy Speaker of the House are demanding and require full attention, noting that the task before him at the National Assembly is enormous.
“What we face now is governance, and my mandate is to get the job done,” he said.
The lawmaker added that it was too early to make any political declaration ahead of the next general election, insisting that the present moment should be devoted to governance and engagement with constituents.
“It is not yet time to declare for anything. It is time for governance and engaging with my people to find out their problems,” he stated.
Speaking on his public call for the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, to join the All Progressives Congress, Kalu said his appeal was made in good faith and in the interest of the state.
“I was asking him to join APC because he was one of us who strengthened the party in Abia State. His joining APC will open more doors to our people,” he said, adding that Abia was currently isolated at the Federal level “on things that will benefit the state.”
Describing Otti as a personal friend, the Deputy Speaker said his invitation was based on sincerity and not personal ambition.
“Otti is my friend. My call for him to join the APC is borne out of sincerity of purpose. If he had heeded that call, I don’t think Abia would be disadvantaged. I am wooing him to come,” he said.
Kalu, however, noted that the party would not wait indefinitely, stressing that alternative decisions would be taken if the governor continued to decline the invitation.
“But as he has refused, the party will choose somebody. I have spoken to him several times, and I meant well for him, but we cannot extend the invitation forever. I am not self-centred, otherwise I would not be inviting him to come and take over,” he added.
On the possibility of a South East presidency after Tinubu, Kalu urged leaders and residents of the region to build alliances across other zones to gain national support for the aspiration.
He also spoke on local government autonomy, pointing out that many councils across the country were not functioning optimally.
“When local governments function effectively, there will be less work for governors,” he said.
The Deputy Speaker commended South East governors for their efforts in sustaining peace in the region, noting that the initiative aligns with his Peace in South East Programme, PISE P.
Kalu reiterated that governance, accountability, and service delivery remain his top priorities, insisting that political ambition should never overshadow the responsibility to the people.
