Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has urged Ndigbo to align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing that the South East stands to gain significantly from being in the political mainstream.
Speaking during an interactive session and dinner with Imo State stakeholders and leaders in Abuja on Thursday, Kalu expressed appreciation for President Tinubu’s “genuine concern and commitment” to the region’s economic growth after years of neglect.
“The President’s quick assent to the South East Development Commission Bill and the establishment of the Commission is a clear demonstration of his desire for the wholesale economic reconstruction of our region,” Kalu said.
The Deputy Speaker said he has a duty to maintain close engagement with Ndigbo across the five South East states and in the Diaspora.
“It is my responsibility to ensure our people are well informed about government programmes and projects, and to bring back their feedback for the collective good of Ndigbo and Nigerians at large,” he stated.
Calling for unity in political participation, Kalu warned against the fragmentation of votes in the region.
“When more than four political parties struggle for votes in the South East, it weakens our electoral strength. We must be part of the government at the centre to get the best for our people,” he advised.
Kalu assured the gathering that all resolutions from the meeting would be communicated directly to the President and encouraged stakeholders to fairly assess his performance as Deputy Speaker.
Chief Convener of the meeting and Executive Director for Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development at the South East Development Commission, Dr. Cliff Ogbede, commended Kalu’s open-door policy.
“This kind of democratic engagement should be emulated. The people’s recommendations will help set a meaningful development agenda for government, while praising President Tinubu’s “vision for economic transformation of the South East” and urging support for his 2027 re-election bid”, Ogbede said,
Former INEC Chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu, also rallied Ndi-Imo to heed Kalu’s advice for the collective interest of Ndigbo.
Former Minister of Transportation, Dr. Kema Chikwe, stressed unity, saying: “We must not be left out in the scheme of things. Igbos should support Dr. Benjamin Kalu’s humble appeal for cooperation and understanding.”
In a united plea, the Imo stakeholders urged Kalu to convey to President Tinubu their request for the urgent release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of IPOB.
They argued that his continued incarceration fuels insecurity in the South East.
“His immediate and constitutional release will drastically reduce the activities of criminal gangs who use his name to terrorise innocent people,” they maintained.
Ambassador Timothy Ihemadu, one of the organisers, described the session as a platform for “better democratic participation and cross-fertilisation of ideas” that would aid policy-making. He thanked stakeholders for their massive turnout on short notice and called for more regular engagements.
The gathering, which included Hon. Emeka Chinedu, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, former lawmakers, ministers, commissioners, academics, community leaders, and youth and women leaders from across Imo State, ended with a shared commitment to strengthen the South East’s position in national politics under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
