2023: My Political Alignment In Best Interest Of Igbo, Sen. Kalu Replies Chief Mbazuluike Amaechi

Chief Whip of the Senate, Dr. Orji Kalu has responded to former Minister of Aviation following a statement credited to the elder statesman in which he criticized Sen. Kalu’s support for Ahmed Lawan to become the country’s President in 2023.

Sen. Kalu a former Governor of Abia State in a statement he personally endorsed on Saturday while underlining his respect for Chief Amaechi noted that he (Kalu) the interest of Ndigbo at heart which informed his decision to support Lawan as the next President of Nigeria.

He said fairness demands that South-East or North-East produce the president in 2023, being the only two zones yet to occupy the office, a stand he has maintained for a long time, adding that North East in the shortest route for South-East Presidency.

The Abia North senator frowned at the failure of South West and South-South to reciprocate to the support they received from South East in producing former president Olusegun Obasanjo, VP Osinbajo, and former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said, “If we should stick to every of the expectations enumerated in the statement he allegedly signed, we would be making similar mistakes we made in the past. There is no Igbo man that loves Igbo people more than I do. The only difference is that I am not just a detribalized Nigerian but a very realistic and optimistic Igbo man. People easily forget the too many prices I have paid in defense of Ndigbo

“Good politicians win elections before the elections take place and I genuinely want the South East to win. I expected that the president after President Buhari will emerge from the South East. That was why I was constantly urging all the political parties to be fair to every region of this country. The fairness which I talked about was about the South East and the North East, the two zones that are yet to produce the President of Nigeria. Unless the two parties zone their tickets to the South East, there is no fairness. I believed the zoning was the best means a South Easterner could become president.

“The South East supported the South West in 1999 and also supported the South-South in 2011 and 2015. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo became President in 1999 because the South East and the South-South supported the South West. Former President Goodluck Jonathan became president in 2011 because the South East and the South West supported the South-South. So, what stops South West and South-South aspirants from withdrawing from the race to support only the South East aspirants?”

He further stated that northern presidential aspirants were emboldened to join the race as a result of actions of South-South and South-West aspirants who purchased presidential forms without supporting the South East.

He reiterated his resolve to join in the race if only the APC zones its presidential ticket to the South East and not just South.

The Federal lawmaker insisted that he does not expect the buy-in of everyone, adding that his support to Lawan is to ensure that South East is not left out politically again.

“In my previous statements, I applauded a couple of South West and South-South Elders who extended their support to our region and also called on other regions to consider the South East for President.

“However, We cannot continue to rely on oral support and mere statements when what is needed most is practical action. And what is this action? Persuading and stopping your sons and kinsmen to drop their presidential ambition for the South East. Anything less than that is hypocritical and we cannot fall for it again. If all we do is to rely on statements and speeches of elder statesmen without taking decisive steps, we would be left behind politically again and we don’t want that to happen.

“If the South West and the South-South aspirants did not buy presidential forms from both parties in solidarity with the South East, no northerner would have purchased the same forms.

“However, it will be a hallucination if I expect everyone to support my position. What matters to me most is that I am sure I am doing the right thing and I shall continue to stand firm on my convictions. Majority of the Southerners are in agreement with my position and I have done the right thing by supporting Senator Ahmad Lawan, a North Easterner who possesses all the necessary requirements needed of a president.

“In all these, my stand has been conspicuously clear. It is the turn of the South East and I would only run for President if the party zones it to the South East, not just South and this is a stance that I have always maintained in the last few years. In the absence of the Presidency to the South East, my support goes to the North East which is the closest to equity and fairness. If I am right, let posterity applaud me, if I am wrong, let it judge me,” he concluded.