Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has declared that a strategic political alliance between the South-East and South-West remains the shortest and most realistic route to the emergence of an Igbo President in Nigeria.
 
Kalu asserted during a series of high-level courtesy visits across Abia State’s three senatorial zones—Abia North, Central and South, where he engaged elder statesmen and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on party unity, electoral strategy and the future of the South-East in national politics.
 
He urged Igbo leaders and voters to move away from sentimental politics and embrace calculated political investments, stressing that votes must be deployed where they count toward power, influence and negotiation.
 
According to the Deputy Speaker, sustained support for the South-West, particularly under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, would strengthen trust, inclusion and reciprocity, ultimately positioning the South-East favourably for the presidency.
 
“What you play politics with is numbers, not sentiments. Votes are currency. If you invest them where they don’t count toward success, you have wasted your opportunity at the negotiation table,” Kalu said.
 
He added that consolidating the Southern political corridor was critical to preventing a return of power to regions that may not prioritise the interests of the South-East.
 
“The South must stay united. Any attempt to break that unity through sentiment will weaken the South-East politically and take us backwards,” he warned.
 
As part of efforts to strengthen APC structures in Abia State, Kalu visited former Senate Chief Whip and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, in Abia North; Senator John Bob Nwannunu in Abia Central, and former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the defunct Hallmark Bank and APC chieftain, Sir Mac Wabara, in Abia South.
 
Across the meetings, discussions focused on party cohesion, stakeholder alignment and the need for sustained collaboration to strengthen the APC and stabilise the polity.
 
Kalu said Tinubu had charged APC leaders nationwide to intensify engagement, promote reconciliation and deepen unity within the party, noting that the current period offered an opportunity for reflection and renewed commitment to inclusive governance.
 
The Deputy Speaker praised the President’s leadership, describing his policies as tough but necessary, courageous and already yielding results.
 
He argued that the President has demonstrated political will, inclusiveness and readiness to work with the region.
 
“He has proven that there is no discrimination in project allocation or governance. He is a listening President, and the political will is there,” Kalu said.
 
He also presented his two-year scorecard to the elder statesmen and party leaders, inviting open assessment of his performance