Senate Chief Whip, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu on Monday declared that he won’t hesitate to serve the country as president in 2023 if given the opportunity by the people(electorates).
“I am still in the Senate, and I will seek for re-election into the Senate (in 2023), but if our people want me to serve as President I will not hesitate,” he said.
Kalu made the declaration during a private visit to two former leaders of Nigeria, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.) and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.), in Minna, the Niger state capital.
Kalu, a former Governor of Abia State, also said that zoning is not a Constitutional matter but party affairs, adding that his party, the APC could not have zoned the presidency.
“Zoning is a party issue, every party has the right to say where they want a position to come from but in APC, there is no issue of zoning. Anybody can contest for the presidency,” he told reporters.
Senator Orji Kalu was released from the Kuje Correctional Centre in June after spending five months in prison following his ‘wrongful’ incarceration.
Kalu was the governor of Abia Statefrom May 1999 to May 2007 before his election as Senator representing Abia North senatorial district in 2019.
Igbere TV had reported how Senator Orji Kalu arrived Minna, the ‘power’ state on Monday at exactly 2pm alongside political friends, associates and retinue of aides.
The former governor met privately with with former Nigerian leaders, General Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd.) and General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.) almost immediately.
He also met privately with the Emir of Minna, Dr Umar Faruq at his Minna palace, the Niger State capital and expected to meet Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State.
Speaking on the reason for his visit to the Emir of Minna, Senator Kalu who described the visitation as “private”, said he was at the palace to see his “brother”, Emir Faruq.
For that of Babaginda, the senator said he went to congratulate his “boss” on his health, and also to felicitate with Abdulsalami who recently celebrated his birthday.
