Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June, the Orji Uzor Kalu for Senate President Movement has described the Senate Majority Whip as a pan-Nigerian that stood his grounds against all odds for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-East at a time it was not politically fashionable to do so.
The grou equally advised the leadership of the APC against shutting out the South-East zone from the leadership of the next National Assembly on the grounds that it failed to deliver votes for the presidential candidate of the party.
According to the group, the South-East was faced with a political tsunami and should be encouraged to forestall a possible alignment that could throw the APC in a precarious situation in the 2027 elections, in the event Mr Peter Obi rejoins the PDP or works some alliances.
It equally explained that Senator Kalu has built relationships across the Islamic and Christian faiths, party affiliations and his business interests go beyond ethnicity and should be considered a bridge builder that will forge the unity that Nigeria requires at the moment.
The group also explained that the dynamics and perculiarity of the South-East in the 2023 general elections should not be on the basis of the arguments that the South-East didn’t support the APC
The group in a statement after its meeting in Abuja explained further that the APC should strive towards encouraging the South-East to perform better, adding that the culture of the ‘winner takes all’ should be discouraged at all cost so as to allow inclusivity and unity of Nigeria.
The Orji Uzor Kalu for Senate President group maintained that the zoning principle initiated in 1999 was designed to enhance and promote fairness and equity, adding that parliamentary procedures obtainable in advanced democracies of elevating current ranking members should be encouraged in Nigeria and to that extent, the APC should elevate the current Senate Chief Whip to the position of Senate President.
It also commended the former Senate leader and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, for standing for fairness, justice and equity when he made a case for the South-East as the ideal zone to produce the President of the 10th Senate.
It also backed the position of another Senator-Eeect, Jarigbe Agom that competence is key and should be the determinant factor.
According to the group, the Chief Whip of the Senate will bring stability to the National Assembly and ensure that Bills and laws that have direct positive impact on the ordinary people are passed for the good of the people, stressing that Nigeria and leaders must begin to look in the direction of uniting the nation rather than threats as seen from the languages and tones of some people who have interests in the composition of the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.
The group in the communique signed by its co-convener, Engr. Fredrick Nwoha, explained that Senator Orji stood firm and even gave up his presidential bid, hence it is not plausible to infer that he worked against the presidential candidate of the APC or against his party, the APC.
It urged Senators-elect and the APC leadership to consider the fact that the South-East remains the only zone in the Southern region that has not produced the president of Nigeria since the return to democracy in 1999, insisting that it would amount to gross injustice to deny it the Senate Presidency having suffered marginalization in that context.
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