Former Governor of Abia and Senator-elect, Abia North Senatorial district, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu says it will be great injustice if the South-East is edged out of distribution of positions in the incoming 9th assembly.
He was reacting to the adoption of Senator Ahmad Lawal (APC, Yobe) for Senate Presidency by the ruling All Progressives Congress, and the alleged ceding of the Deputy Senate President position to the North-West.
Speaking with newsmen in Lagos on Wednesday, Igbere TV gathered that Dr Kalu said it will be unfair not to give the position of Deputy Senate President to the South-East since the party has decided to zone the Senate President position to the North-East.
He said it was only fair that the position was retained in the South-East, stressing that both President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, were well aware of this.
The former governor noted that he was aware the APC had zoned the Senate President position to the North-East and Deputy Senate President to North-West, but, however, called on the party to have a rethink and cede the Deputy Senate President to the South-East in the interest of equity and justice.
While signifying his interest to contest for the position of Deputy Senate President, Igbere TV learnt that the business magnate warned he would be forced to go for the Senate President position (on the floor of the house) if the APC fails to zone the Deputy Senate President seat to the South-East zone.
Kalu further maintained that he was qualified for the position having been a former member of the Federal House of Representatives from 1991 to 1993 and also a two-time governor.
“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. This will be a great injustice to my people and it will be vehemently resisted. We are going to contest this vigorously on the floor of the house. I have the backing of my colleagues. As we speak, over 56 Senators are on my side. I am going to be withdrawing from the senate presidency to run for DSP because the party is supreme. However, if they fail to listen, I will switch and 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,” he threatened.
When asked if he has made his intention known to the party, the former governor 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 for my people. 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,” Kalu concluded.
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