Ginger Onwusibe, the representative for Isiala Ngwa South/North in Abia State, has stepped up to defend Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, following his recent suggestion that Governor Alex Otti join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Aguocha of the Labour Party criticized Kalu’s comments, describing them as “condescending and disrespectful to the Governor.” However, Onwusibe, who leads the Labour Party caucus in the House, countered these claims on Tuesday, asserting, “The Deputy Speaker did nothing wrong by marketing his party, asking Otti to join the APC.”
He elaborated, “What is wrong with what Kalu said? If you listen carefully to what he said, he is only marketing his party and indirectly calling on Otti to come and take an APC ticket.”
Onwusibe emphasized that Kalu referred to Otti as a friend, stating, “In the video, he said Otti is his friend; they speak every day, and most importantly, he is performing; he didn’t denigrate the governor in this video unless you have another video.”
The lawmaker criticized Aguocha for allegedly misrepresenting Kalu’s intentions and claimed he has known Kalu since 2021, having collaborated with him during his campaign for Deputy Speaker.
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He stated, “I may be the least that has benefited from Kalu among us, but that will not make me deny my friendship and loyalty to him.”
While affirming his loyalty to Otti as a Labour Party member, Onwusibe maintained that Kalu was simply fulfilling his responsibilities for his party’s future.
He also addressed rumors regarding a potential partnership between himself and Kalu for the 2027 elections, saying, “This is exactly how the PDP forced me out of the party with unfounded lies.”
Onwusibe urged his colleagues to maintain peace and view Kalu’s comments as a commitment to the APC’s success in the upcoming elections.
