Senate Chief Whip Orji Kalu on Tuesday signalled the imminent defection of Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), portraying the economist-turned-leader’s ideological alignment as a foregone conclusion that could solidify the party’s grip on Nigeria’s restive South-East region.
Fresh from Soludo’s re-election victory under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Kalu — a former Abia governor and APC stalwart representing Abia North — framed the move as a natural progression for progressives eyeing national renewal under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“Soludo is a progressive like myself, President Tinubu, Senate President Akpabio, and the Governors of Imo, Ebonyi, and Enugu. He has no alternative than to come and join us. It’s confirmed,” Kalu told journalists in Abuja, where he chairs the Senate Committee on the South-East Development Commission (SEDC).
The Abia lawmaker, speaking amid whispers of broader regional realignments, lauded the APC as “the only political platform with a clear direction and a working plan for Nigeria’s development,” hinting that Soludo’s crossover would amplify the party’s foothold in a zone long dominated by opposition forces.
Kalu downplayed any arm-twisting, insisting: “Neither I nor the President nor any APC leader has forced anyone to join our party.” He extended the olive branch to other South-East figures, including Abia Governor Alex Otti, whom he recently met and described as a “brother and former banker,” leaving the door ajar without pressure.
Looking ahead to 2027, Kalu dismissed credible challengers to Tinubu, quipping: “2027 is Tinubu vs Tinubu,” a nod to the president’s swelling popularity and the APC’s ironclad backing from regional heavyweights in Imo, Ebonyi, and Enugu.
The senator recommitted to the fold, vowing: “I will work 100% for the APC, campaign in the state, and ensure victory for President Tinubu and all our candidates.” His remarks underscore a strategic courtship of Soludo, whose technocratic bent and APGA roots could bridge divides in a region plagued by marginalisation gripes, as the Senate under Godswill Akpabio pushes economic stability bills in lockstep with the executive.
