Former Abia State Governors Senator Orji Kalu and Senator Theodore Orji have met in Umuahia to strategize on reclaiming political power from Governor Alex Otti ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking at the Friday meeting, Kalu said the gathering aimed to unite political actors who served in the state between 2009 and 2023 to form a common political front.
The former governor, who currently represents Abia North Senatorial District in the 10th Senate, also proposed expanding the group to include all former political office holders in the state during the same period.
Kalu, referring to the group as “The Team,” emphasized that its members played a significant role in Abia State’s development during their tenure and should not be dismissed.
“Leadership is a relay race. I finished and handed over to Senator T.A. Orji, and he finished and handed over to Okezie Ikpeazu. So one person cannot come and say we did nothing and that we are not relevant,” Kalu said.
“If we did nothing, where would our people be living now? Our meeting is not about discussing what cannot be said publicly. Our main purpose is clear: one person must go down in 2027.”
Kalu urged members to remain steadfast and committed to the group’s mission, noting that the platform was bipartisan and open to allies across party lines.
A key moment of the meeting came when former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Chinedum Orji, moved a motion to expand the group to include all former political office holders, including National Assembly members, who served between 2009 and 2023.
The motion was unanimously adopted by the group, setting the stage for a broader political coalition in the state ahead of the next general election.
