Sen. Kalu Cautions Against Unguarded Utterances To Avoid More Disharmony In APC

Chief Whip of the Senate, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has warned chieftains of the ruling APC to desist making provocative utterances that will further create disharmony and disunity among party members and organs.

The former Abia governor also said all efforts should be brought together to foster stability in the ruling All Progressives Congress to enhance its performances in the upcoming 2023 elections.

The lawmaker was reacting to a statement credited to the former Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Dr. Salihu Lukman where he accused him (Kalu) of supporting the Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Mai Mala Buni to undermine the March 26 national convention of the party.

While denying the allegation, Sen. Kalu said he has no interest on the personality occupying the position of the party’s chairman, stating that he had always offered his support to the party which happened to have Mai Mala Buni as the chairman CECPC.

He reminded Mr. Lukman that he first cautioned the party against holding any convention in February when issues around its congress which created factions were not resolved, noting that that was what led the APC to losing election in some states.

“It is on this note that I consider it necessary to correct the wrong impressions Lukman must be making efforts to create.

“There has been no time I participated in any collaboration or collusion to ensure that attempts to organise the APC National Convention are blocked.

“It will be recalled that on the December 15, 2021 , I made an appeal to the party and the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee members to consider postponing the national convention earlier slated for February.

” I had warned that holding the convention in February without sorting out the minor disagreements that arose during the Congress would lead to implosion .

“I was worried that , the creation of factions which denied the party victory in so many states in the past elections may repeat itself. I therefore called for a peaceful resolution of the crisis before holding the Convention. No peaceful and tactful leader, would support a terrible scenario to reoccur” Sen. Kalu said.

While praising Mai Mala Buni for doing well as the chairman of CECPC, he made it clear that he will not deny him because of the disagreement in the party, saying Buni has been his friend in the past 25 years.

Sen. Kalu therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari to hear from Buni and the acting CECPC chairman and governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello to reach a middle ground so that the party can win together.

“The APC is a very big party with several caucuses . We have the Governors, National Assembly, Businessmen , Youths and Women among other caucuses. The directions and concerns of these caucuses should be taken into consideration at all times .

“Going forward, Whether it is Gov Mai Mala Buni or Gov Abubakar Sani Bello, I would always give the party my maximum support and drive for stronger growth. There is always a danger with a single story and I encourage Mr President to hear the two sides of the story so that the party can win together,” he concluded.