Fresh indications emerged on Tuesday that the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, may have shelved his governorship ambition and opted to seek re-election into the National Assembly.
Multiple sources who spoke with Punch said Kalu may now be preparing to contest for another term to represent Bende Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
One of the indications was his reported appearance before the All Progressives Congress (APC) screening committee in Abuja on Sunday, a move believed to signal his intention to retain his seat in the Green Chamber.
The development comes weeks after some political stakeholders purchased the APC governorship expression of interest and nomination forms for Kalu, urging him to contest the Abia governorship election.
Presenting the forms in Abuja earlier this month, the spokesman for the group, James Uko-Kalu (SAN), described the Deputy Speaker as a bridge-builder whose performance in the National Assembly had shown him to be a capable leader.
Responding then, Kalu said he would consult widely before taking a final decision.
“The purchase of this form is clearly a call for me to step forward. I have received it with gratitude, and within the next one or two days, after due consultations, I will make my position known,” he stated.
Ally Confirms Reps Plan
A close ally of the Deputy Speaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Kalu had resolved to return to the National Assembly.
“It is true that he is coming back to the House, subject to scaling the primaries and winning the election. He indeed spoke about becoming a governor, but you know, one plus one may not always be two in politics.
“He has consulted widely, and there is a chance the people want him to continue the good works he is doing in parliament,” the source said.
Kalu had been widely speculated as a major challenger to Governor Alex Otti’s re-election bid.