The All Progressives Congress (APC) has recorded significant expansion of its grassroots base across Abia state, a development the party’s South East Mandate Forum has attributed to the sustained mobilisation and leadership of Benjamin Kalu, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.
In a statement issued in Umuahia on Monday, the APC South East Mandate Forum said Kalu’s political engagement across communities in Abia has begun to alter the state’s political landscape, despite being governed by the Labour Party, noting that LP is steadily losing ground ahead of the 2027 general election.
The group said Kalu’s leadership has triggered a wave of defections from the Labour Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political platforms, with thousands of politicians and grassroots supporters reportedly tearing their membership cards to join the APC.
According to the forum, the scale of the defections reflects growing public dissatisfaction with the governing party in Abia and renewed confidence in the APC as a credible political alternative.
“Across wards, communities and local government areas in Abia state, we are witnessing an unprecedented political realignment driven by conviction, not coercion,” the statement reads.
“In recent times, we have witnessed events where thousands of former members of the Labour Party, PDP and other parties openly renounced their affiliations, tore their membership cards and willingly identified with the APC because they see direction, leadership and seriousness of purpose.”
The forum said the development did not happen by chance, attributing the momentum to what it described as Kalu’s consistent, hands-on and people-centred approach to party building.
The APC group said while many political leaders have withdrawn from active engagement during the holiday period, the deputy speaker has remained on the ground, strengthening party structures and personally engaging grassroots stakeholders.
“While others are resting, celebrating and issuing seasonal goodwill messages, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu has chosen to work,” the statement said.
“He has been on ground — listening to the people, rebuilding confidence in the APC, and reminding Abians that politics must be about service, not slogans.”
The forum said Kalu’s mobilisation strategy has deliberately prioritised grassroots inclusion over elite consensus, noting that his engagements cut across youth groups, market associations, professionals, women leaders and traditional institutions.
“This is not a movement restricted to political big men. It is a people-driven process.
The confidence level of party members has increased and more people are joining the party,” the group said.
“What we are seeing is the reawakening of grassroots politics in Abia, where ordinary citizens feel reconnected to a party that speaks their language and understands their everyday realities.”
The APC group said the defections have also helped to stabilise the party internally in Abia, reducing factional tensions and restoring confidence among long-standing members who had grown disillusioned in recent years.
According to the forum, Kalu’s stature within the national leadership of the APC has played a critical role in reassuring defectors that their interests will not be marginalised.
“As deputy speaker of the house of representatives, Benjamin Kalu represents a bridge between national authority and local aspiration,” the statement said.
“People are joining the APC in Abia not just because they are dissatisfied elsewhere, but because they believe they will have a voice, relevance and protection within the party.”
The forum said the political movement unfolding in Abia signals more than routine defections, describing it as an early indicator of a broader shift ahead of the 2027 elections.
“What is happening today is not noise; it is structure.
It is not propaganda; it is participation,” the group said.
“The APC is steadily regaining its footing in Abia state, and this has been achieved through patient organising, credibility and visible leadership of Hon Benjamin Kalu.”
The group also commended Kalu for maintaining party cohesion while expanding its base, noting that his approach has avoided inflammatory rhetoric and instead focused on unity and long-term growth.
“Leadership is not measured by how loudly one speaks, but by how many people are willing to follow,” the statement added.
“The willingness of thousands to publicly align with the APC under his watch is a testament to trust — trust in his character, his capacity and his vision for Abia.”
The forum said the growing strength of the APC in Abia has begun to reshape political calculations within the state, adding that the party is positioning itself as a serious contender ahead of the next election cycle.
“As Abia moves closer to 2027, the foundations being laid today will matter,” the group added.
“And at the centre of this reawakening is a leader who understands that political victory begins from the grassroots.”
The statement was signed by Chief Onyebuchi Okorie, coordinator of the APC South East Mandate Forum.
