APC Faults Abia Factional Labour Party Personal Attacks Against Orji Kalu, Says Kalu Deserves Commendation 

The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised a faction of the Labour Party in the state for allegedly resorting to personal attacks against Senator Orji Uzor Kalu instead of addressing issues the senator raised on governance.

In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, the party described the outburst by the Umuehim Nvosi faction of the Labour Party as misplaced, noting that the group chose to attack Kalu’s personality rather than engage with what it termed “critical issues of public concern.”

“Ordinarily, as a leading political party, we would not concern ourselves with faceless and fragmented groups parading as representatives of a faction whose legitimacy remains unrecognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission,” the statement read.

The APC, however, said it was compelled to respond because the Labour Party faction’s statement “descended into needless innuendos, name-calling, and personal attacks,” without addressing the substance of Kalu’s remarks.

According to the party, the former Abia governor had raised concerns about “the rising cost of education in Abia State, the poor welfare conditions of lecturers in state-owned tertiary institutions, and the continued neglect of teachers in primary and secondary schools.”

“These are not speculative claims; they are realities known to the people,” Aguoru said, adding that the Labour Party faction failed to provide any factual rebuttal.

The APC also referenced Kalu’s comments on infrastructure, stating that the senator had pointed out “the absence of new infrastructure development by the current administration,” and alleged that projects being showcased were largely rehabilitations of those initiated by previous governments, including during his tenure from 1999 to 2007.

“Once again, no factual rebuttal was offered, only abuse,” the statement added.

On security, the party expressed concern over what it described as emerging political violence in the state. It quoted Kalu as warning about “the emergence of political violence and what may rightly be described as political banditry,” which it claimed was previously alien to Abia’s political environment.

“These are serious citizens’ concerns that demand thoughtful engagement, not emotional outbursts, not intimidation, not blackmail,” Aguoru stated.

The APC further criticised the Labour Party faction for dismissing the issues raised by Kalu as mere fear, describing such a stance as “a lack of patriotism and a troubling disregard for the genuine concerns of the Abia people.”

The party maintained that Kalu’s call on Governor Alex Otti to prioritise the welfare of residents and ensure prudent use of public resources was “a patriotic and statesmanlike intervention.”

It urged the faction to “abandon the path of personal attacks” and instead focus on addressing governance issues and improving service delivery in the state.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the APC expressed confidence in its electoral prospects, stating that it would “secure all three senatorial seats, win the seven House of Representatives seats, the 24 seats in the State House of Assembly, and reclaim the Abia State Government House in Umuahia.”

“Abians deserve leadership anchored on accountability, performance, and transparency, and not media content creation, noise making, bullying of senior citizens and unnecessary distractions,” the statement concluded.