Orji Kalu Kicks Off 2023 Presidential Race As Campaign Posters Flood Umuahia

Senator Orji Kalu has begun the 2023 presidential race with the release of his posters across Umuahi, the capital of his country home of Abia State.

THE WHISTLER learnt from a credible source close to the senator that the former Abia State governor sanctioned the move and has begun mobilizing and empowering his campaign groups.

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It was gathered that not less than 20 different campaign groups had been screened as at Saturday.

Kalu is of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and was at various times a member of Progressive Peoples Party, which he founded and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The politician, who has been having running battle with anti-graft agencies over corruption charges is harping on the need for political parties to zone their presidential slots to the South East as a compensation for civil war experience and neglect.

Kalu’s posters could be conspicuously seen across the state capital with inscriptions like, “Vote Dr Uzor Kalu for President – A New Nigeria is here”, “Kalu For Justice and Equity.”

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One of the group’s championing the cause of Kalu presidency is the Arewa Youth.

The group is said to be behind the poster onslaught while describing him as “heavyweight” politician and a “nation builder” as well as a “man poised to salvage the economy” in the posters.

But Kalu’s media aide, Maduka Okoro, denied the posters emanated from the office of the former Abia governor.

Mr Okoro said the former governor has not declared his intention to contest the 2023 presidency.

He described it as the handiwork of those who either love Mr Kalu for “the good he is doing” or those with “other intentions”.

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He said, “We did not paste posters of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu anywhere. We have not contemplated on that and we have not made any categorical statement.

“We are busy trying to create history for our people – renovating schools, building roads and other projects, so that our people can enjoy the dividends of democracy.”

He said that Mr Kalu, who is representing Abia North Senatorial zone, would address the press if he had such intention

There are clamours for the South-east to produce the next Nigerian president in 2023.

One of the groups drumming support for the emergence of an Igbo person as president is the Association of Arewa Community in Igboland.

Its National President, Mohammed Umaru, had made the appeal at a news briefing on Sunday in Umuahia, restating call for support of the Igbo people to actualise their presidential ambition come 2023.

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Mr Umaru said, “The north, west and South-south have all ruled the nation as executive presidents.

“This is the time we should give our consent for an Igbo executive president,” Mr Umaru told reporters.

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