Former Chief of Staff to the Abia State Governor, Sir Mascot Uzor Kalu, has formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), pledging to build a government that works for all Abians, especially the underserved at the grassroots level.

In a declaration speech delivered with passion and conviction in Umuahia, Abia State, on Saturday, Kalu emphasized the need for a new era of governance anchored on unity, transparency, and grassroots empowerment.

Reflecting on his decision not to contest the outcome of the 2023 gubernatorial election, Kalu said: “Though there were irregularities, I congratulated the winner because the people demanded change.

I chose not to go to court, allowing the administration space to govern. But today, Abia deserves more progress, more inclusivity, and more truth in governance.”

Kalu, who described himself as a frontline candidate in 2023, noted that while some progress has been made under the current administration, the delivery has not matched the campaign promises made to the people.

Outlining his agenda, the APC chieftain promised to lead a people-focused government rooted in equity, transparency, and economic development.

His core pledges include: Full implementation of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda at the grassroots,- Opening state government financial systems to public scrutiny.

Ensuring civil servants and pensioners are treated with dignity and paid promptly, creating job driven economic programs, especially targeting Abia’s youth, strengthening local government autonomy by publishing and releasing LG allocations in full, and sustaining and improving existing capital projects while launching human capacity development initiatives Citing Abia’s staggering unemployment rate of over 62%, nearly double the national average, Kalu declared it was unacceptable for the state to ignore the urgency of economic revitalization.

“Our journey is not politics as usual. It is a call to restore empathy to leadership and give every Abian a reason to believe again,” he said.

Kalu invited party loyalists, progressives across political divides, and non indigenes alike to join his campaign to reposition Abia under the APC.

He stressed that his movement transcends politics and is anchored on faith and resilience, quoting Saint Teresa of Avila: