“Address the Issues!’ — APC Defends Orji Kalu, Slams Labour Party Faction
By Charity Uwakwe
“The APC in Abia State has defended Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, accusing a Labour Party faction of avoiding key governance issues by resorting to personal attacks, while highlighting concerns over education, infrastructure, and public welfare.”
“Tensions are rising in Abia’s political landscape as the All Progressives Congress (APC) launches a fierce rebuttal against a faction of the Labour Party, accusing it of abandoning governance debates for personal attacks. At the center of the storm is Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, whose recent comments on education, infrastructure, and public welfare have ignited a war of words—one that could shape the road to 2027.”
The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly criticized the Umuehim Nvosi faction of the Labour Party over what it described as a “misplaced and unwarranted attack” on Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, urging the group to focus on governance issues rather than personalities.
In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, the APC said it would ordinarily ignore “faceless and fragmented groups” whose legitimacy remains unrecognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). However, the party noted that it was compelled to respond due to what it called the faction’s “deliberate refusal to address critical issues affecting Abia people.”
The statement read in part: “Rather than engage the substantive concerns raised by Senator Kalu, the faction resorted to innuendos, name-calling, and personal attacks—actions that contribute nothing to public discourse.”
According to the APC, Senator Kalu had raised “fundamental and widely acknowledged issues,” including the rising cost of education in Abia State, poor welfare conditions for lecturers in state-owned tertiary institutions, and the neglect of teachers in primary and secondary schools.
“These are not speculative claims; they are realities known to the people,” the statement emphasized.
The party further referenced Kalu’s remarks on infrastructure, noting his position that many projects currently being showcased by the state government are rehabilitations of initiatives executed by previous administrations, including those undertaken during his tenure as governor between 1999 and 2007.
“Shockingly, these rehabilitations are being carried out at embarrassingly humongous costs, yet no factual rebuttal has been provided—only abuse,” the APC added.
The statement also expressed concern over what it described as the emergence of political violence and “political banditry” in the state—developments it claimed were previously alien to Abia’s political environment.
“These are serious concerns that demand thoughtful engagement, not emotional outbursts, intimidation, or blackmail,” the party said.
Defending Kalu’s intervention, the APC described his call on Governor Alex Otti to prioritize the welfare of Abians and ensure prudent use of public resources as “patriotic and statesmanlike,” adding that it deserved commendation rather than condemnation.
“To dismiss such weighty issues as mere ‘fear’ reflects a troubling disregard for the genuine concerns of the people,” the statement continued.
The APC urged the Labour Party faction to “abandon the path of personal attacks” and instead demonstrate responsibility by addressing the issues raised.
Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, the party expressed confidence in its electoral prospects, stating: “The APC will not only secure all three senatorial seats but also win the seven House of Representatives seats, the 24 seats in the State House of Assembly, and reclaim the Abia State Government House in Umuahia.”
The statement concluded with a call for governance anchored on “accountability, performance, and transparency,” warning against what it described as “media theatrics, noise-making, and unnecessary distractions.”
