The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State has officially zoned its governorship ticket for the 2027 general elections to Abia Central Senatorial District, effectively shutting out prominent figures from other zones, including Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and former governorship aspirant, Mascot Uzor Kalu.
The decision was announced in a statement issued by the state Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, on Thursday.
“This decision is taken in the interest of equity, justice, and fair play, and in line with the party’s commitment to balanced representation across the three senatorial zones,” the party said.
According to the statement, the zoning arrangement reflects the current political balance within the party, pointing out that the state chairman of the APC is from Abia North, while Abia South produced the immediate past governor.
It argued that fairness demands that Abia Central be given the opportunity to produce the next governor under the APC platform.
The party further stated that the directive is intended to guide aspirants in the purchase of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms ahead of the 2027 elections.
TOPHEADLINES reports that with this development, political heavyweights from Abia North and Abia South, including Benjamin Kalu and Mascot Kalu (who are from Bende, Abia North) are now effectively excluded from contesting for the party’s governorship ticket unless there is a reversal or internal concession.
Benjamin Kalu, who represents Bende Federal Constituency, has remained a central figure in Abia politics amid growing calls for him to contest the governorship seat.
Earlier this month , leaders and stakeholders from Isiala Ngwa North and south had joined the growing chorus urging him to vie for the state’s governorship seat describing him as a unifying figure with the capacity to reposition Abia .
Though he has yet to formally declare his ambition, Kalu has maintained visible alignment with President Bola Tinubu, a stance that could be interpreted as strategic positioning ahead of 2027.
Former governorship candidate of the Action Peoples Party (APP) Mascot Kalu, younger brother to former Abia state governor Orji Uzor Kalu, had also intensified his governorship ambition, recently purchasing the party’s nomination form on Wednesday in a clear signal of intent to contest the APC 2027 primaries.
However, the zoning decision now casts uncertainty over his ambition, leaving him and other affected aspirants with limited options within the party framework.
While the APC framed the decision as a unifying step, it might cause unexpected internal recalibrations within the party, especially among supporters of aspirants who may now have to either step down, negotiate, or explore alternative political pathways.
The party, however, called for calm and cooperation, urging stakeholders across all zones to respect the zoning arrangement “in the spirit of sportsmanship” and to unite toward securing victory in 2027.