Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has urged the Igbo nation to strategically invest their votes in the 2027 general elections by delivering massive support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Kalu said the era of the South East “wasting votes” to make political statements that yield no tangible benefits for the region should end, stressing that such an approach does not serve the long-term interests of the Igbo people.
According to him, rather than dispersing votes in unprofitable political directions, the region should rally behind President Tinubu in 2027 as part of a broader strategy to secure relevance and influence at the national level.
He called on political leaders and stakeholders in the South East to begin building alliances that would translate into concrete political gains, warning against sentiment-driven decisions that weaken the region’s bargaining power.
The Deputy Speaker spoke during visits to leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the three senatorial zones of Abia State, including former governors Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Senator John Bob Nwannunu, as well as former Managing Director of the defunct Hallmark Bank, Sir Mac Wabara.
Kalu reiterated President Tinubu’s directive to APC leaders to intensify engagement with party stakeholders, promote unity and cohesion, and pursue reconciliation, while also checking on party leaders across the country.
He said the President’s message was unambiguous, noting that leaders at all levels must reach out to one another, set aside divisive tendencies and work collectively to build a stronger and more united party and nation.
According to him, the current period offers an opportunity for reflection, reconciliation and renewed commitment to the ideals of unity and inclusive governance.
On the broader national political landscape, Kalu urged the Igbo to adopt a pragmatic approach to politics, insisting that votes should be invested where they can yield returns, not wasted.
He argued that the most viable path to the eventual emergence of an Igbo president lies in building strong political alliances, particularly by supporting the South West at this time, saying such strategic cooperation would foster trust, inclusion and reciprocity within Nigeria’s political system.
Kalu reaffirmed his commitment to President Tinubu’s vision, party unity and the advancement of the South East within the national political framework, assuring stakeholders of his continued dedication to effective representation and inclusive governance.
Kalu charged party stakeholders to immediately intensify grassroots mobilization and strategic engagement to ensure a resounding victory for the party in the 2027 general elections.
He declared that the era of merely negotiating for 25 percent votes for the President in Abia State is over, stressing that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state now has the structure, momentum and political capital to deliver outright victory.
Kalu expressed confidence that with growing grassroots support and renewed unity among stakeholders, Abia APC is fully positioned to win the state convincingly for President Bola Tinubu in future elections.
The Deputy Speaker said, “I want us to remember that this President has shown leadership. The policies were tough, but the President was steadfast, courageous in his policies. He defended those policies, stood by them, today we have started benefiting from those policies.
“So, any man who did this is supposed to be praised, and I am happy that it is the government of APC that made this happen. Igbo’s, let us invest our votes. Igbo’s, let us not waste our votes. The time of wasting our votes just to prove a point, sentimental point is gone. What you play politics with is numbers, not how sentimental you were.
“If you carry your vote and dump it where it does not count toward success, you have wasted your opportunity to go to the negotiation table and ask for what you have invested in. Why do we ask for dividends if we have not made any investments? There is no company in this world that will pay you dividends when you have not made any investments.
“The time of the investment has come, in the next few months we’ll be expected to make investments. Are we going to make investments or are we going to waste investments? The vote we have in our hands is the currency for investments.
“When the time comes, I plead with Igbos; let your votes count, not because it is not going to be counted, or because it was given where it would not drive success, know that as it is today, in the political calculation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is where we will invest our votes and it will count.
“That’s the truth, let’s keep sentiments aside, let’s forget emotions. He’s from the south, the southern political corridor must stay united, it must be consolidated, so that we will be seen as standing as one. Any attempt to use any sentiments to break us, and then the south east will go with a paltry sum of votes, whereas it will swing the way that we don’t want and this thing might go back to where it’s coming from.
“It’s not what we should encourage as leaders in Igbo land. We should invest our votes. We are investing it because truly these two years that the president has been in office, he has proven that he wants to work with the Igbo’s. He has proven that there is no discrimination in the allocation of projects, in the setting of projects. We may not have it all done at the same time but there is a political will to do the first thing. He’s a listening president, I beg of you let us stand by him, and his current policies.”
The elder statesmen, in their separate remarks, commended the Deputy Speaker for his impressive performance at the National Assembly, describing his interventions and contributions as impactful and people-oriented.
They lauded his decision to present his two-year scorecard for open critique, noting that it reflected transparency, humility and a commitment to effective representation.
They assured him of their continued support and pledged to work collectively to strengthen party structures and mobilize grassroots support to ensure resounding victory for the party at the polls come 2027.
