Abuja — Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu (APC, Bende), has urged the Abia State Government and the wider South‑East to acknowledge President Bola Tinubu’s role in making funds available for state projects—particularly following the removal of fuel subsidy.
Kalu, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary Levinus Nwabughiogu, commended Governor Alex Otti for infrastructure strides but said development “must come before politics,” noting he had similarly cooperated with past Abia governors across party lines. He argued that Tinubu “did not keep that money in Abuja; he sent it to the states,” adding that public appreciation would encourage further support: “If you thank a helper, he will do more.”
Beyond funding, Kalu appealed to the President—represented by Works Minister Dave Umahi—to establish a seaport in the South‑East to catalyze trade and industry, stressing the region’s commercial profile. He also urged presidential intervention over the demolition of properties owned by Igbo residents in Lagos, asking the Lagos State Government to allow affected owners to regularize documents rather than lose investments.
