Tinubu Indebted To Kalu Over Senate Presidency — APC Chieftain

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, identified as Mallam Yakubu, has provoked a fresh controversy about President Bola Tinubu’s indebtedness to some ruling party chieftains.

Yakubu, a strong supporter of President Tinubu, in a viral video, released on Thursday, recalled how the President reneged on his promise to make a former governor of Abia State and Abia North Senator, Orji Uzor Kalu, as Senate President in the 10th National Assembly.

According to him, he was there in Kalu’s house when Tinubu made the political promise to his friend and political ally but later pitched his tent with Senator Godswill Akpabio.

The Zamfara APC chieftain, however, said it was not too late for the President to do the needful by ensuring that Kalu becomes the Senate President.

He said, “Yes, Good evening, this video is overdue. You see, most of us are politicians in this country and we cannot see the truth without talking. We have to appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for all he has done in this country since he took over as the president in this country.

“But there are people he promised and he is fulfilling some of them and he is not fulfilling some of them. I was opportune to be in the house of a former Governor of Abia state, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu when his Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came into the house and we all ate and drank.

“The Senator’s wife cooked for everyone of us that day, we ate good food that day and the President told him, ‘please do not run for President, go back to run for Senate, I will make you Senate President.’ Orji Kalu agreed and he ran for Senate.

“And today, Mr President is not fulfilling that promise. Most of the financial crisis we are having today, it is only Senator Orji Uzo Kalu who has the capacity and the experience to negotiate with the international communities, to negotiate with the local investors, to negotiate with every stakeholders and make sure every challenge we are having today to come to an end.

“Kalu has done his part, Tinubu should pay him back and the time for that Senate Presidency is now.

“Mr President needs somebody like Senator Orji Uzo Kalu, people think that as a young man, as a former Governor he has money, he cannot be controlled, he is not going to be loyal. No, Senator Orji Uzo Kalu is a very loyal person that I have opportunity to know very well, he is very loyal person.

“Mr President should remember when he was having problem with President Olusegun Obasanjo, how Senator Orji Uzo Kalu helped him to win his election in Lagos after 1999 election when he was coming in 2003. He was denied the right by President Obasanjo, it was only Orji Uzo Kalu who stood by him and he was the only Alliance for Democracy (AD) Governor who won the election at that time because Orji Uzo Kalu supported him.

“If today such man you said you are afraid of him, you cannot trust him with the Senate Presidency, who else will he trust? You need somebody that can build the country with you, you need a man that is highly influential internationally that can talk to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and talk to other international bodies for African investment to grow.

“We cannot be rich and be poor and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is working harder for growing this country and if you are working harder to grow this country, you need Senator Orji Uzo Kalu as the Senate President. He is very well known person, a very capacity person, someone who can go round with you, to make you get what you are looking for.

“My advice for Mr President is this: we all worked with you, I was a member of AD, I worked with you, I campaigned for you, we love you but we want you to keep that promise you made to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu in his house, telling him to step down that he should not run for President, that you will give him senate President.

“Today you are not fulfilling the promise, I don’t want you to listen to any people telling you wrong thing about Orji Kalu; Orji Kalu is the only man that can grow this country with you Mr President Bola Ahmedu Tinubu..We want you to review your stand on this matter, thank you very much Mr President.”