APC Senatorial Primary: Canada-Based Analyst Hails Orji Kalu’s Victory

*Says polling 96.7% clear sign ex-gov is loved by Abia North senatorial district

Olufemi Adegbulugbe, a political analyst based in Alberta, Canada, announced that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu won the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial nomination for Abia North Senatorial District with a decisive victory in the party’s recent primaries.

Adegbulugbe reported that Kalu received 65,651 votes, accounting for 96.7 percent of the total ballots cast in the constituency. Political observers interpret the result as evidence of the former governor’s enduring influence over the political loyalties of his home district.

The win, recorded across 57 wards in the five local government areas of Arochukwu, Bende, Isuikwuato, Ohafia and Umunneochi, sparked congratulatory messages nationwide. Commentators described the outcome as a “tectonic plate victory” that highlighted the APC community’s appreciation of experience, competence, capacity and continuity in their chosen senator.

Although Adegbulugbe is neither a native of Abia State nor a member of the APC, he said his congratulations were motivated by the belief that senatorial representation transcends state boundaries.

“A senator not only represents his senatorial district but also represents all Nigerians, because the decisions made by senators in the upper legislative assembly affect every Nigerian,” he wrote. “It is on that basis that I felt compelled to acknowledge what I consider a result of national significance.”

The analyst also praised Professor Philip Nto’s participation in the primary, commending his contribution to the democratic process. His remarks were widely read as a call for unity within the Abia North APC community ahead of the 2027 general elections, now that the primary contest has concluded and attention can shift to securing the senatorial seat in the main election.

Adegbulugbe described Kalu as a nationalist, borderless Nigerian, nation builder and political economist. He expressed confidence that the primary victory is only the first step in a broader electoral journey that will ultimately benefit not only the people of Abia North but also the South‑East geopolitical zone and Nigeria as a whole.

“The APC community of Abia North has taken a small step by voting for confidence in Senator Kalu, but this small step will lead to a giant leap for the people of Abia State, the South‑East region and Nigeria in general,” he wrote.

Kalu, a former governor of Abia State and one of the most prominent political figures from the South‑East, has represented Abia North in the Senate since 2019 and served as Chief Whip during the 9th Assembly.

His return to the APC ticket positions him as the party’s candidate in a constituency where his political organisation has historically been formidable, and the scale of his primary victory suggests that his support base remains intact despite the turbulent national political climate heading into the 2027 election cycle.