The Director-General of the Benjamin Kalu Movement (BKM), Hon. Emma Trumps Eke, has called for the immediate reversal of the decision by the Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone its governorship ticket to the Abia Central Senatorial District.
Eke, while reacting, expressed shock and deep disappointment over the decision and described the move as hasty, ill-timed, and lacking broad consultation with key stakeholders across the three senatorial districts.
DrumAfricanews reports that Kalu, who is the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and member representing Bende Federal Constituency in Abia North Senatorial District, was seen by many as the number one choice to clinch the 2027 APC governorship ticket in Abia State.
According to Eke, “The movement received the news with shock and disbelief. While we respect the right of the party to take decisions, zoning of such a critical office requires wide consultation, inclusiveness, and strategic reasoning.
“This unilateral approach undermines internal democracy and risks alienating loyal party members from other zones,” Eke’s statement reads.
The BKM noted that the Abia State APC is still in a rebuilding phase and needs unity, not decisions that could cause division and make people misunderstand the party.
The group insisted that Abia North and Abia South Senatorial Districts both have competent aspirants who have made significant investments in building the party and deserve a fair opportunity to contest.
BKM further alleges that the decision of the party is deliberately taken to exclude aspirants from Abia North from the race where the ticket should have been originally zoned to.
“We believe in equity and zoning. However, equity must not be used as a tool to shut out capable hands or to serve narrow interests. At a time we should be consolidating, this decision is capable of causing disaffection among our members.
“We view the statement as a deliberate act to systematically edge out aspirants from Abia North, especially the Deputy Speaker, from the race. We want to submit that Abia North is where the ticket should be originally zoned to after the administration of Dr Victor Okezie Ikpeazu from Abia South.”
The BKM called on the State Working Committee (SWC) and the national leadership of the APC to revisit the decision in the interest of justice, party cohesion, and the larger goal of winning Abia State in the forthcoming election.
“While we urge calm among our supporters, we appeal to the party hierarchy to reconsider its decision and allow the status quo to remain. We remain committed to the growth of APC in Abia and will continue to engage all stakeholders to ensure that the party goes into the election as one united family,” the statement stated.
