?The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has called on the Igbo people of the South East to abandon political sentiment and adopt strategic alliances across Nigeria to secure the region’s political future and ensure access to the dividends of democracy.

?Speaking in Umuahia on Thursday during the inauguration of the Abia State All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council, Kalu emphasized that the same strategic mindset that drove the South East's post-civil war economic recovery must now be applied to politics.

He warned that working in isolation leaves the region politically disadvantaged, stressing that building bridges across the Niger is essential for long-term relevance.

?In a statement released on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, the Deputy Speaker identified President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a rewarding political platform for the South East.

Describing President Tinubu as a non-tribal leader focused on national unity and legacy building, Kalu urged Ndi Igbo to view their votes as strategic investments rather than wasted efforts.

?Addressing agitation for the presidency, Kalu rejected proposals for a abbreviated four-year Igbo presidency, asserting that after waiting nearly six decades, the South East deserves a full eight-year tenure when its time arrives. He urged patience and strategic alignment, assuring the region that its time is coming.

?Highlighting the foundational achievements of the Tinubu administration over the past three and a half years, Kalu noted significant ongoing projects across the South East.

He charged the newly inaugurated 500-member Abia APC Campaign Council to take the administration's Renewed Hope message directly to all 17 local government areas and 184 wards in the state.