Synergy Between Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu And Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, An Antidote To Political Suzerainty On APC Abia State Chapter.
Tuesday (Afor) 09-12-2025.
History makes it clear that Abia State has produced citizens with high profiles in the Nigerian project. A State that, in its repository, has the likes of the first Military Head of State of Nigeria, Major-General Johnson Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi, the second and last Premier of defunct Eastern Region of Nigeria, Dr M. I. Okpara, the first Nigeria’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations, and first Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Dr Jaja Anucha Wachuku, Esq, must be a State to be reckoned with in terms of pedigree.
It will, therefore, be spurious and misleading for any person or group of persons to feel that Abians could be manipulated as inconsequential timid and naive people.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, is the majority and ruling Political Party in Nigeria. In Abia State, the Party which, as at 2023 was only prominent in Abia-North, has become a very strong Opposition Party, with mass appeal.
Before and during 2023 general election, APC in Abia State had the problem of factionalization, which implied conflicting groups with contradictory interests and agenda, leading to division and disunity. That affected her electoral performance in Abia State, despite having political bigwigs.
The current Chairman of the Party in Abia State, Dr Kingsley Ononogbu, has been unrelenting in making sure the Party is united. His efforts are beginning to yield visible results.
In the current political dispensation, APC in Abia State is fortunate to have the Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, in the person of Rt Hon Benjamin Okezie Kalu, CFR, and a former Governor of Abia State, and ranking Senator representing Abia-North Senatorial District, Most Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, come from Abia State.
Left or right, these two political icons have a wide range of influence in Nigeria, and particularly in Abia State. Before now, peripheral optics had tried to mislead many into believing that there was no love lost between the two. But the courtesy visit the Deputy Speaker paid to his elder brother, Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu on Sunday (Eke) 7th December, 2025 has proved pessimists and ‘doubting Thomases’ wrong.
There is harmony and synergy between the two political elephants who hail not just from Abia-North Senatorial District but also from Bende Local Government Area of Abia-North.
The harmonious relationship between the Deputy Speaker and the Senator needs not be overemphasized. In the first place, they will speak with one voice, and that will portray them as a disciplined purposeful formidable united front before the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, The Most Distinguished Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. That stands to attract more respect and dividends of democracy for Abia State.
This harmonious synergy will also make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for non-indigenes of Abia State to railroad themselves into unwarranted wielding of undue influence on matters affecting Abia State. Abia State is grown and developed enough to be able to define and determine its interest and chart its course. No matter how highly placed a non-indigene of Abia State could be, interference on matters affecting the State must be repudiated. The fate of Abia State remains the sole responsibility of Abians. Any Abian who goes about subordinating himself or herself to powers outside the State merely for selfish advantage, only amounts to inexplicable absurdity.
Internal harmony and synergy amongst Leaders of APC in Abia State is a sine qua non for internal dignity and its attendant electoral success. Even now that it is widely speculated that Abia Governor is surreptitiously itching to rejoin APC in or before February 2026, the need for internal harmony and synergy amongst APC Leaders becomes more compelling. Knowing that the Governor is averse to dissent, anything contrary to harmony and synergy will only make the Governor operate as the colossus that he, naturally, would like to be.
This piece is, therefore, a commendation and an encouragement to the standard set by the Deputy Speaker, His Excellency, Rt Hon Ben Kalu, CFR, and His Excellency, The Most Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. It is expected that other Leaders should take a cue from the duo instead of going to other States pledging subservience to Leaders there just to spite the collective dignity and pride of Abia State.
Sir Don Ubani is a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia State, and Publisher of Equity Global Reporters Ltd.
