President Bola Tinubu has asked Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to coordinate the activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State ahead of the 2027 general elections. The former governor said this yesterday after a meeting with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa. According to him, the move puts him in charge of rebuilding the party in a state where the APC has long struggled.

The representative of Abia North in the Senate confirmed this on his official Facebook page, praising Tinubu for the responsibility entrusted to him. He said: “I sincerely thank President Bola Tinubu for the confidence reposed in me and the marching order to coordinate activities in Abia State in respect of our great party, the APC.”

Kalu added: “As the most senior governor in the state, I am committed to working closely with all stakeholders, in line with the President’s directive, to ensure that the APC in Abia produces candidates who are widely acceptable, united in purpose, and well-positioned to secure victory in the state for the President’s re-election, while advancing the best interests of Abia State and Nigeria at large.”

Meanwhile, there are indications that Tinubu may be favourably disposed to granting automatic Senate tickets to a select group of lawmakers.

Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, gave the hint during an interaction with political stakeholders in the state. According to him, the lawmakers under consideration for continuity are: Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara West), Kalu (Abia North), and Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central).

Others are: Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), Abdullahi Abubakar (Kebbi North), Idiat Adebule (Lagos West), Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) and Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos East). According to Idris, the Senators have played a pivotal role in stabilising the National Assembly.

Although there has been no official confirmation from the Presidency or the APC’s national leadership regarding the proposed automatic tickets, the development has already generated significant debate within political circles, with analysts viewing it as a strategic effort to retain experienced lawmakers while consolidating political loyalty ahead of the next electoral cycle.