Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Benjamin Kalu has urged the leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the south east zone to emulate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu whose leadership style has produced more national leaders.
Kalu, who made the appeal, yesterday, when the APC leaders in Abia led by Senators Chris Adighije and Nkechi Nwogu paid him a courtesy visit in his office, said despite several challenges the president may have faced with his mentees, they still remained together.
He further urged members of the ruling party and the entire Igbo leaders in the south east to unite as one and pursue their common destiny against all odds.
He said: “These are men and women of capacity that the state and nation needs. I’m most delighted to have you here. The realization that we are all in this together, whether it’s in success or failure. There’s an igbo adage which says “Onye ahala nwanne ya”. We can’t achieve any major milestone as a people without being together.
“Our nemesis has always come when we believe we could be lone rangers. It doesn’t work, you will agree with me that it has never worked. The difference between our leadership and that of people from other jurisdictions, we find it difficult to stick together for a longtime.
“That’s what differentiates us from others who are playing politics in other jurisdictions. I’m sure you’re not in doubt, if you are in doubt, check president Tinubu’s team yesterday and today and tell me who has changed. Is it Femi Gbajabiamila, Fashola, I can go on and on, they know what it means to stay together for a long period.
“Does it mean that all of them are scents in politics? Does it mean that nobody is offended in the course of politicking? The answer is no. The wisdom that has guided them to achieve what they are achieving today is the same wisdom that made them understand that a house that’s divided itself cannot stand and that progress is found in unity.”
Earlier in his remarks, leader of the delegation, Senator Adighije said their mission was to congratulate Kalu and beckoned on him to assume the leadership of the party in the south east.
He said: “I have come in total support of Abia leaders of thoughts in APC across the entire state. We have come with a heart full of joy to congratulate our special son. For me to get out of my place at my age to come and see my son, my special son with age difference of about 40 years, it means right from home, we are proud of you.
“I want to recall your first day in House of Reps in June 2019, you didn’t quite settle down and you moved a motion. You didn’t spend 5 minutes and you moved a motion and two weeks later you became a Chairman of a committee.
“You have already been created for greatness and above all, this greatness has come to you because you are a child of God. We were waiting patiently for the main party structure to come. But we the elders, custodians, people who have the interest of this party decided to come now. These are the elders and the stakeholders and people who want the survival of our party. We are here.
“We are here to pledge our support because you are now hold a position of responsibility and trust. Charity begins at home. So, whatever that has happened in Abia, we are here to ask you to quickly do the needful. So that, Abia, all of us will come together.
“We are all here to plead with you and we know you are a man of action to build bridges across the lines in Abia and indeed, south east. So that Abia State and indeed the rest of south east will take what is rightfully their own.
“I give this responsibility because I know you. You are brilliant, you are dynamic, honest and humble. Don’t delay. It’s a sense of urgency for us to build a strong party and make the south east, APC strong hold.”
