By Gwen Ifeson
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s increasingly visible support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) has placed the former Abia governor at the centre of the party’s political calculations in the South-East ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kalu, who represents Abia North in the Senate, has repeatedly declared his commitment to the APC and the Tinubu administration. In recent months, he has used political meetings and public engagements to mobilise support for the President and the ruling party.
In July, Kalu brought together his OUK Movement and Reality Organisation with APC structures in Abia, saying the collaboration was intended to strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 elections. He also publicly pledged to campaign for Tinubu’s re-election.
His support for Tinubu has not been limited to party meetings.
In August, Kalu told Channels Television that he remained committed to the APC but would resign from the party if the President were to disrespect the opposition or the Catholic Church.
The comment underscored the senator’s description of his support for the administration as one that still carries personal and political principles.
Kalu has also defended the direction of the Tinubu administration, including its economic policies, while acknowledging that the reforms had yet to deliver all the desired results.
For the APC, Kalu’s importance in Abia extends beyond his position as a senator. He has spent decades building political networks in the state and has maintained a political structure associated with the OUK Movement and Reality Organisation.
That background has become increasingly relevant as the APC seeks to strengthen its presence in Abia ahead of 2027.
Kalu is seeking another term representing Abia North on the APC platform.
Recent reports have documented endorsements from individuals who argue that his legislative experience, constituency interventions and long involvement in public affairs make continuity desirable.
Supporters of his return also point to the potential value of having an experienced senator within the APC’s National Assembly structure at a time when the party is seeking stronger legislative coordination with the Tinubu administration.
Some of those supporters have argued that retaining experienced lawmakers could give Abia North greater leverage in the National Assembly, particularly if Kalu continues to occupy influential committee responsibilities or secures another senior role within the Senate leadership structure.
Kalu currently chairs the Senate Committee on the South-East Development Commission.
Whether he secures any additional leadership position after the 2027 elections, however, would depend on the composition of the next Senate and decisions by the chamber and the APC leadership.
What is clearer is Kalu’s political positioning: he has aligned himself firmly with Tinubu and the APC and has made the President’s 2027 re-election and the party’s electoral performance central themes of his political activities.
In January, Kalu said he would work to deliver Abia to the APC and stated that he would support Tinubu and the party’s governorship candidate.
That positioning has given the Abia North senator a dual role in the unfolding political contest defending his own Senate seat while also functioning as one of the established APC figures seeking to expand the party’s influence in a state where it is not currently in control of the government.
As the 2027 political season gathers momentum, attention is therefore likely to remain on the role Kalu will play within the APC’s Abia strategy, his bid for another Senate term, and the extent to which his longstanding political network can translate into support for the party and President Tinubu.
For Kalu, the message has remained consistent: his political future in Abia is closely tied to the fortunes of the APC and his continuing support for the Tinubu administration.