2023 Presidency: ‘He Betrayed His People’- Igbo Youths React To Orji Kalu’s Withdrawal For Ahmad Lawan

The sudden withdrawal of Senate Chief Whip Dr Orji Uzor Kalu from the 2023 presidential race is a betrayal to the Igbo nation.

This was the aggregation of the opinions of some Enugu youths who spoke with THE WHISTLER on Wednesday. According to them, the decision was ill-timed.

Amaechi Eze, a student, said, “Orji Kalu is the highest ranking Igbo senator if not in the South East as a whole. His being vocal on national issues had endeared him to many.

“For him to withdraw his presidential bid because his friend Senator Ahmad Lawan obtained the form is to leave his faithful in the lurch. He should not be trusted.”

Oliver Ogbuka said, “He did it so much in a rush. He didn’t consult South-East stakeholders. It was wrongly done because Ohanaeze Ndigbo is not relenting from consulting national stakeholders for a South-East presidency in 2023.

“Orji has shown that he is selfish and not a democrat. Sticking to a president of Nigeria of South-East extraction would have made him a hero. It doesn’t matter whether he wins or another Southeasterner wins or not. It is to make a statement against the injustices being meted to our people.”

A social commentator, Osmond Odo, said, “Lack of Igbo consciousness is the bane of politics in South East. One wonders if Orji Kalu belongs to Ohanaeze. His aligning with North East is to betray his people.”

For John Okafor, a businessman, “Orji might be in the know of where the pendulum will swing. The truth is that both PDP and APC are not ready for a South-East president. Orji saved his money and political stake by trying to hold onto his senatorial seat. He might also be avoiding distraction should court reopens his alleged corruption case against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.”

Johnson Nriji asked, “I’m left askance about Orji’s decision. He didn’t tell us if the 2023 presisency has been zoned to the North East officially. Why can’t he initiate a forum for deliberations between South-East and North-East stakeholders before arriving at any decision? His withdrawal dampened the spirit of many. It means there are things he hasn’t told us.”

Our correspondent reported that Senator Kalu, Monday, announced his withdrawal from the 2023 presidential race following his claim that the major political parties did not particularly zone their presidential tickets to South East.

Orji, instead, said he would re-contest the senatorial seat of his Abia North senatorial zone. He also said he would support Senate President Ahmad Lawan, from North East, who has also bought the form. He said his decision was informed because both North East and South East face the same degree of marginalisation in Nigeria’s presidential equation.