Anxiety As Orji Kalu Moves Against Abia APC Guber Candidate

The camp of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State has been gripped with fear and anxiety as a party bigwig, Orji Uzo Kalu, the returning Senator for Abia North has reportedly moved against the party’s candidate, Ikechi Emenike.

Several sources including agents and close associates of the candidate and the Kalu camp made the revelation to THE WHISTLER on Wednesday after their in-house meetings.

It was gathered that the meeting of February 23 that was held in Umuahia brought to the fore Kalu’s confrontation and public declaration that he was not supporting the governorship candidate of the APC.

According to sources at the meeting, moves by Kalu to ensure the APC candidate is defeated were also noted.

The governorship race in Abia has been tipped to be between the Labour Party’s candidate, Alex Otti and the Young People Party’s, Uche Aguoru.

Also among the contenders are People Democratic Party’s candidate, Okechukwu Ahiwe, the All Progressives Grand Alliance candidate, Gregory Ibe, the APC’s candidate, Emenike and Mascot Orji Kalu of the All Peoples Party, APP, who is Kalu’s younger brother.

Recall Kalu had in a series of interviews openly said that he would not be backing the APC candidate because he claimed the candidate had not consulted him and had openly insulted him before his (Kalu’s) kinsmen.

THE WHISTLER had reported that Kalu had also said he would not support Emenike because his brother is in the guber race.

He however denied working against the APC or adopting any candidate in the race.

But an insider in the Kalu’s faction said their principal had instructed them to work against Emenike.

He said, “Orji said we should make sure Ikechi Emenike comes last in the Gubernatorial election of Saturday.

“Orji knows his brother cannot win and he is using him to ruin Emenike’s chances on Saturday.

“For us in Abia North APC, we do not have a candidate on Saturday. We are up for sale,” he said not wanting to be mentioned.

The source added that, “Because of the faction in Abia APC, we did not monitor the Presidential and National Assembly elections which were held on February 25, 2023 with the APC agent tags. We monitored the election at the different polling units with APP tags to deliver Orji Kalu.

“The APC tags came to Emenike but because of the divisions in party structure, he denied the Orji Kalu faction and we did not get the APC agent tag in Abia North where Kalu has the structure.

“Orji told us that Emenike openly insulted and campaigned against him therefore we should make sure he fails. For us, our candidate is Mascort, the APP candidate.”

The insider pointed out that based on the instructions, APC agents in Abia North are likely to work for the APP or Labour Party’s candidate, Otti.”

In Abia Central where Emenike comes from, THE WHISTLER gathers that party members may likely back the APC candidate due to his strong presence, while Abia South, appears divided between Emenike and Kalu.

Also, Uche Oga who lost the APC bid to Emenike in court through his Abia Rolejoice, a political structure for the APC chieftain may likely be rooting for the Labour Party candidate, according to separate APC agents who spoke on condition of anonymity.