January 2026

Former Abia State governor Orji Uzor Kalu, believes President Bola Tinubu will face little to no opposition in the 2027 presidential election, declaring that the contest will be ‘Tinubu versus Tinubu’.

Kalu spoke with members of the Senate Press Corps at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Senator Kalu, who chairs the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission (SEDC), noted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) remains firmly rooted across the country and continues to enjoy massive grassroots support.

“Has he gotten anyone contesting against him? The election is Tinubu vs Tinubu, just like Soludo vs Soludo, Our party is fully on ground and with the people. We’ll keep doing all we can to help Nigerians progress,” the lawmaker told the gathering.

The former Chief Whip of the 9th Senate underscored that the National Assembly, under Senate President Godswill Akpabio, is focused on passing laws that will support the President’s economic recovery drive.

Reacting to comments by US President Donald Trump on killings in Nigeria, Kalu said Trump told the truth, insisting that the attacks have affected both Christians and Muslims and must be condemned by all.

“If it’s a lie, then it’s not a lie because he said the truth. Nigerians are being killed, Christians and Muslims alike. There are jihadists who want to destroy Nigeria. We must blacklist and smoke them out without pity,” he said.

The former governor revealed that he had discussed Nigeria’s security challenges with two ex-U.S. presidents and six sitting Senators who, according to him, expressed readiness to assist Nigeria in the fight against terrorism.

He added that recent airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force may have benefited from U.S. intelligence sharing.

“Before Trump says a word, the American intelligence community must have found out where these terrorists are located,” Kalu said.

The Senator blamed part of the global insecurity on the U.S.-led removal of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi and Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, which he said unleashed arms across Africa.

He also dismissed speculation that the U.S. was targeting President Tinubu’s administration, further noting that its focus is on jihadist groups destabilizing Nigeria.

“Nigerians are clapping, thinking the U.S. is after Tinubu’s government. No, they are after the jihadists,” he said.

https://www.channelstv.com/2025/11/11/2027-election-tinubu-apc-unstoppable-orji-kalu

Former governors of Abia State, Senators Orji Uzor Kalu, Theodore Ahamefula Orji and other political stakeholders in the state have unanimously endorsed the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for second tenure.

The political leaders made up of political office holders from 1999-2027, known as Team 1999-2007, who met in Umuahia, the state capital, at the Azikiwe residence of former governor Orji also vowed to drag the governor of the state, Dr. Alex Otti to court for running the state from his Isiala Ngwa South local government area residence.

The political leaders who expanded the team to accommodate those that served the state during Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu said that the lawsuit to be filed against Otti would be to compel him to move to Government House in Umuahia and stop running the affairs of the state from his private home.

In a nine point communiqué signed by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, chairman; Senator Orji, 1st vice chairman and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, 2nd vice chairman, and read by the former national chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Ike Oye, members were urged to redouble their efforts and work for the re-election of President Tinubu.

The team who also commended President Tinubu for appointing ex-Governor Ikpeazu as Ambassador designate, asked aggrieved members to forget the past and forge ahead to work for the growth of the group.

Speaking earlier, leader of the team, Senator Kalu said the group is a social cultural organisation with the aim of bettering the lots of Abians.

“The team has three ex-governors from the three senatorial zones of the state. People have called us names and accused us of doing nothing in the past 24 years, but if nothing was done, will there still be Abians?”

Describing the team as one family, Kalu urged members to forget the past and work for the future.

“I created Senator T. A Orji and he created Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, so if there is any difference between them, we are going to resolve that so we can move forward.”

Senator Orji thanked Senator Kalu and others who attended the meeting, promising they would do everything possible to move the state forward.

He urged all the members to forget the past and work for the good of the team and the state.

Former Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Chinedum Orji thanked Kalu for accepting to lead the team and his father, Senator Orji for hosting them.

He urged all members to close ranks in order to move the group forward and ensure a resounding victory for President Tinubu in 2027.

Other speakers, including chief Don Ubani, secretary of the Team; Eme Abali MBA and Mrs. Felicia Dimgba, all eulogised Kalu and Orji for the able way they have been piloting the affairs of the group.

They said it was unfortunate that someone would wake up overnight and boasted he was going to retire them from politics and vowed to resist any of such moves.

Not less than 50 schools in Abia-North Senatorial District have attained various stages of completion following the reconstruction works facilitated by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu representing the zone in the 10th Assembly.

Full construction works in each of the five Local Government Areas have since commenced on the school structures as captured in the 2024 budget submitted by Kalu.

Most of the schools were built during the lawmaker’s tenure as governor of the state but have since been abandoned by subsequent administrations.