A leadership tussle appears to be brewing within the Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following conflicting interpretations of a directive reportedly issued by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the coordination of party affairs in the state.
The development comes after former Abia State governor and senator, Orji Uzor Kalu, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, issued separate statements suggesting differing leadership roles within the party.
In a statement released earlier, Orji Kalu expressed appreciation to the President for what he described as a “marching order” to coordinate APC activities in Abia State. He pledged to work with stakeholders to ensure the emergence of widely accepted candidates capable of delivering electoral victory for the party, particularly ahead of the President’s re-election bid.
Kalu, who emphasized his political experience, said he would focus on uniting party members and advancing the interests of both Abia State and Nigeria.
However, in what observers interpret as a counter-position, Benjamin Kalu issued a separate statement crediting the President with reaffirming that party affairs in Abia should be handled by the highest-ranking political office holder in the state—himself as Deputy Speaker.
He noted that the model, which he said had been applied during ward, local government, and state congresses, had strengthened party unity and positioned the APC for electoral success in the state. He added that the party had never been “this united and forward-looking,” expressing confidence that Abia would deliver overwhelming votes for the President.
The contrasting statements have sparked concerns among party faithful.
