EXTRA: I’m happy I survived waves of Obi movement, says lone Abia APC rep-elect

Benjamin Kalu, a member of the house of representatives representing Bende federal constituency in Abia, says his constituents looked beyond “party colour” to reelect him.

Kalu, who is the spokesperson of the house of representatives, was reelected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the February 25 elections.

He is the only APC member elected to the lower legislative chamber in Abia. Labour Party (LP) won six out of the eight federal constituencies in the south-east state.

Speaking with journalists on Wednesday when he received his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, Kalu said he was happy that he “survived the Obi movement”.

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the LP, won a majority of votes in the five south-east states, including Abia.

“It means a lot to me that in the whole state, I was able to survive the waves of the Labour Party and the Obi movement,” Kalu said.

“It means that my people have a clear mind in knowing what they want — that beyond political colours they were in search of a man who has performed what he presented in his manifesto.

“They judged me by my actions and performance, and they were able to say: ‘You have done well’.  The reward for good work is more work. I think that is why I am here. I describe them as great minds of Bende.

“I am happy that they were able to apply their minds and not go with the bandwagon which affected so many people; where you go you vote for one party all through thinking you are voting for your candidate. They were deliberate, they were specific. They wanted Benjamin Kalu and here I am to serve them again.”