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Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has assured President Bola Tinubu of an overwhelming victory in Abia State in the 2027 presidential election.
He gave the assurance during the inauguration of the technical committee of ‘OUR TEAM 2027,’ a new name for ‘OUR TEAM 1999-2007’ which was formed by three former governors of the state, comprising Sen Kalu, Theodore Orji and Okezie Victor Ikpeazu.
The objectives of ‘OUR TEAM 2027,’ include making sure President Tinubu is reelected in 2027, good governance in Abia State, paying attention to the collective welfare of the Abia people and restoring constitutional democracy to Abia State, including returning the state’s capital to Umuahia among others.
The group resolved to set up the technical committee to help develop a blueprint that will guide the organisation at a meeting on January 9 at T.A Orji’s Umuahia-Ibeku country-home.
On March 14, a 28-member technical committee was formed and inaugurated at Umuahia by the leader of OUR TEAM 2027, Senator Kalu.
Inaugurating the committee, Kalu stressed that every democratic step must be taken by the team to ensure that President Tinubu is re-elected in 2027. He noted that if Abia State joined the league of states that will work to return President Tinubu, the reward would also be overwhelming.
He explained that it is the democratic responsibility of members of the team, as well as the OUK Movement and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State to work very hard to guarantee Tinubu’s reelection in 2027.
He said it would amount to self delusion for members of APC in Abia State to imagine that the leadership and followership of the Labour Party in the state would ever vote for President Tinubu. He asked: “If the Labour Party in the State, in any way, should try to create the impression that it would vote for President Tinubu in 2027, why did he bluntly refuse to join the President’s political party, APC, when many other governors, including those of Enugu State, Edo State, Zamfara State and Adamawa State have all joined APC?”
He also assured journalists in the state that no amount of gubernatorial intimidation should deter them from carrying out their constitutional responsibilities, as members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm. He warned that no member of the media should be insulted just for playing the constitutional role of a watchdog in Abia State and frowned at a situation where a journalist in the state was labelled stupid for simply asking for accountability.
Kalu expressed worry that the continued abandonment of Umuahia as the constitutional capital of Abia State by the LP-led government in the state has badly affected the economy of Umuahia, and by extension, the state.
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He again called on the Governor of the State to relocate from Isialangwa-South to Umuahia.
He congratulated the APC in the state for recently conducting a harmonious and peaceful Congresses in the state, noting that he was solidly in support of all those that emerged in the Congresses, starting from the wards to local government areas, senatorial districts and the state. He pledged his support at all times, stressing that the APC in Abia is one and united. He advised that any member, who would not give peace a chance in the party should try another party.
Goodwill messages were received from former Governors T. A. Orji and Dr Ikpeazu, as well as the immediate-past Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Chinedum Orji.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Technical Committee, Professor A.C.B Agbazuere, thanked Senator Kalu, Senator Orji, and Dr Ikpeazu for reposing confidence in members of the technical committee and assured that the committee would perform the duties assigned to it with diligence, speed and accuracy.
Among members of the Technical Committee that spoke in appreciation of the vision of former Governors Kalu, Orji, and Ikpeazu were a former Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Emeka Stanley; a former member of the state House of Assembly, Chief Uche Ogboso; former Commissioners in the State – Dr Samuel Ahiwe, Prince Enyinna Ubani, Mrs Elizabeth Esochaghi, Mrs Ori Obasi and Eze Ogo Emeka Onuoha, as well as some former local government chairmen, including Chief Silvanus Uzoma Nwaji and Chief Iyk Anyatonwu. Some other notable political leaders that attended the event were Chief Emma Omokwe, Rev Mrs Jemaimah Ola Kalu, Deaconess Rhoda Emeka, Mr Peter Nwakanma, Mr Emeka Bonny De Laz, Emeka I. U. Kalu and Dr Ikechukwu Ndukwe.
Also present was a former Chief of Staff to former Governor T. A. Orji, a 2023 governorship candidate in the state and 2027 governorship aspirant on the platform of APC, Sir Mascot Uzor Kalu.
As a Development Economist, Sir Mascot Kalu spoke expansively on the inseparable relationship between infrastructural development and welfare of the citizens, through different youth and women empowerment programmes. He assured that if given the opportunity to govern Abia State, he would introduce a lot of human capital development initiatives for the overall development of Abia State.
However, secretary of OUR TEAM 2027/Technical Committee, a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia State, Sir Don Ubani has debunked the rumour that the Committee was specifically meant for Sir Mascot Kalu. He stated that what the Committee plans to do is to have interactive sessions with whoever that wants to govern Abia State in 2027, so as to have a critical assessment of the aspirant’s capability before making up her mind on who to support.
“The public should, therefore, disregard any report that purports that the Technical Committee is a platform dedicated to the aspiration of Sir Mascot Kalu. That report, from wherever it emanated, is untrue,” he said.
