Orji Kalu Threatens To Move Against APC Over Deputy Senate President Position 

Orji Uzor Kalu, the senator-elect for Abia North senatorial district, has vowed to move against his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), if principal offices in the 9th senate are not zoned equally.

Kalu said while he remains loyal to the APC, he won’t fold his arms and watch the ruling party cheat the South East out of the deputy senate president position.

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Speaking to newsmen at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the former Abia state governor said since the APC has zoned the senate president position to the North East, it would only be fair for the ruling party to zone the deputy senate position to the South East.

“Well, I am a very loyal party member, the party has zoned it to the North East and I am bound to respect the party’s will and the second position is what we are not going to allow for the party. As far as I am concerned, in the south east, I am going to run openly on the floor of the House for the Senate President. I am not going to listen to the party, neither will I listen to anybody. Nobody who is going to be the Deputy Senate President is more loyal than I am to the party. I have suffered for the party, and I want the party to respect the will of every other person and I am committed to democracy,” said Kalu. 

“We are going to be seeing votes on the floor of the house because Section 50 of the constitution made it very clear that the members of the national assembly will elect their leaderships and I am going to use that section of the constitution to vie for the position. I learnt they ceded the DSP to the North West, but it is not right to do anything like that. We are going to contest this vehemently on the floor of the house. I have the backing of my colleagues. I am going to be withdrawing from the senate presidency to run for DSP because the party is supreme.

“Whether they gave it to an individual that is left for the party at the national assembly to decide, but for the DSP, I will contest with any candidate on the floor of the house.

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On if the APC is aware of his stance, Kalu said: “ I just told you that patty is supreme. I know our Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is a listening Chairman and President Muhammadu Buhari is a man of justice. So, if justice must prevail, you bring the senate President from the North East and DSP to the South East. The chairman is from the South south, the President is from the North West, the Vice President is from South West, the President of Senate will come from the North East, whether it’s Lawal or Ndume, these people will decided that on the floor of the House.

“So, for me, Nigeria is tripod; Ibo, Yoruba and Hausa. So, we are going to get the DSP and I will fight on the floor of the House like no other person has fought. This is not challenging the party, rather, this is looking for justice. Buhari said he will be addressing issues of injustice. This is part of the issues. You cannot tell us to go and be Chief Whip. I don’t have a whip to whip anybody.

“So, we will be very willing to add values to the nation. I am loyal to the people, I am loyal to Nigeria, which is important. I am not going to be loyal to individuals. You don’t build loyalty to a section of people or individuals. I am a Catholic and I believe there is a co-existence between the religious people. So, I am not going to be DSP for anybody. Otherwise, if they don’t listen, I will also contest for the Senate President on the floor of the House. I will join the race because it is going to be a shopping matter. I can shop than any other person they are putting there. I have the capacity and capability to shop because the whole thing will be shopping on the floor of the House. If the party continues this way, I will run for the Senate Presidency,” said the former governor.

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