A member of the House of Representatives, Obi Aguocha, has declared that Dr Alex Otti will be re-elected as Abia State governor in 2027.

Aguocha made the declaration in a response to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who reportedly boasted that Otti would be the last member of the Labour Party (LP) to be governor of Abia.

In a statement issued on Monday, Aguocha, who represents Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia, said Kalu’s comment on Otti and the LP is “condescending, denigrating, and disrespectful.”

Aguocha said it is hypocritical for Kalu to praise Otti’s administration while simultaneously making negative remarks against the governor.

“My dear colleague, your open vituperation and remarks against our Governor, Labour Party, and Abia State was very condescending, denigrating, and disrespectful in every sense of the word,” the statement reads.

“Your personal opinion and partisanship aside. Your patently repeated boasting and referring to yourself as No. 6 in the order of leadership hierarchy of the Federal Government seen in the video clip portrays you less as a leader and more like a man with an open display of brazenness and rabid indiscretion. I would have advised you otherwise.

“My brother, we are distinguished colleagues with you representing the good people of Bende Federal Constituency. Whilst we elected you to be our Deputy Speaker, it does not confer on you the audacity to declare vacant the seat of the governor of Abia State in 2027.

“By your own striking admission that ‘Dr. Alex Otti is your friend, and he has done very well, too, for our people, but you, Hon. Ben Kalu owe your party, APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a duty to deliver Abia State, a Labour Party state to your party at the centre as payback for the President’s political patronage to the Southeast viz; signing the Southeast Development Commission Act, etcetera.’ What a brazen and uncontrolled outpouring of emotional fury.

“You went on to declare that the President’s party, the APC, will take over Abia State by 2027. I have known you to exhume boldness, which is often misconstrued as excessive arrogance but not this type of pugnacious instability.

“Lest that we are confused, especially in this season of significant economic hardship and high citizen expectations from those of us in government. Would it not have been advisable that we are seen focused on our legislative duties, our constituents, Abia State, and the Southeast at large?

“Sir, you must now use that all-important position as Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives to de-marginalize and reduce the agitation of our people and promote inclusiveness.”

The legislator asked Kalu to declare openly if he harbours gubernatorial ambition, rather than undermine Otti’s administration.

Aguocha said that Abia, under Otti’s leadership, has experienced a significant transformation with widespread support from the electorate.

He warned that any attempts to shift the state’s political direction would be met by strong resistance from residents.

“My beloved brother, with due respect, your comments lacked introspection and reek of recklessness, discernment, lack of humility, lack of rationality, and totally very unreasonable,” the lawmaker said.

“If your ambition is to become the governor of Abia State by 2027, it is your right, but make it plain rather than hiding yourself in the shadows of discontent and display of insincerity and intemperate political culture.

“But I assure you that as you want Abians to repay Tinubu for his good works, so shall Abians repay Alex Otti for his mammoth achievements come 2027. Alex Otti will be reelected governor of Abia State.

“My Right Honourable, this is not the first time the Southeast was blessed with the position of the Deputy Speaker. Right Honourable (Chief) Emeka Ihedioha in 2011. The opportunity now ought not to be wasted only in rubbing shoulders and chanting your No. 6 position at every opportunity.

“Sir, may it please you to note: while we appreciate President Tinubu for signing the Southeast Development Commission into law alongside Development Commissions for every geo-political zone in the country, We have not seen or heard our leader, the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, Right Honourable Dr. Tajudeen Abbas cajoling and mocking his people of the Northwest with his own feat of including the Northwest in the Development Commissions as the No 4 citizen in the federation. Humility is indeed a virtue.“

Aguocha urged Kalu to focus on his legislative duties and use his position to promote unity and development in the South East.