A group, the National Youth Orientation Association of Nigeria, NYOAN, has backed the candidature of Senator(elect) Dr Orji Kalu representing Abia North Senatorial District, for Deputy Senate President of the Ninth National Assembly.
According to the group in a statement issued to Igbere TV on Monday, Kalu, an achiver and de-tribalised Nigerian, is the right candidate for the position.
It said its decision followed a resolution to elect credible candidates in the 9th Assembly to avoid the charade witnessed in the 8th NASS, saying, “we cannot afford to make the same mistake twice.”
While acknowledging the antecedents of Kalu in the political space, the group urged returning senators and senators-elect to support the former Abia governor, for the sake of building a robust NASS leadership committed to Nigerians.
Full Statement,
“The National Youth Orientation Associations is an umbrella organization of Nigerian youths committed to the orientation of youths in Nigeria and in diaspora to the Nationalist Agenda of President Buhari. It is a body of concerned progressive like-minded Nigerian youths at home and abroad seeking ways to better Nigeria for all Nigerians, young and old.
“Our core values that serve as our driving force are transparency, accountability, integrity, absolute loyalty and commitment to Nigeria and Nigerians.
“Consequently in view of the charade and National embarrassment witnessed in the 8th NASS, the Nigerian youths say nay and never again will we be uninterested in activities of our National Assembly.
“In the 8th NASS we witnessed the height of national embarrassment, from booing the President, padding of budget, delay in budget approval, legislature – executives face off to stealing of Mace.
This is very unfair to the country and we the youths watched helplessly.
“However it spurred us to go to our various constituency to elect credible candidates for the 9th Assembly because we cannot afford to make the same mistake twice.
“The youths needs to be considered in the scheme of things.
“DR ORJI UZOR KALU is the hope of the Nigerian youths. At age of 26, he received the National Merit Award of Member of the Order of Niger (MON) – the youngest person to have received that award in Nigeria.
“And at a youthful age of 39 years he became the Governor of Abia State. Prior to this, at 33 years he was the chairman of First International Bank Limited and all member of the House of Representatives.
“A DETRIBALIZED NIGERIAN, he was also the Board Chairman of Borno State Water Board and Chairman of Cooperative and Commerce Bank all in his early 30s.
“Even at 59 years he’s still a youth at heart because he is an ardent lover of football and he’s the Pillar of Sports in Africa.
“These are some of the reasons the Nigeria Youth Orientation Associations wish to appeal to our Senators to please do the youths a favour and give Nigeria OUK as DSP.
“Away from ethnic and tribal considerations OUK merits it, he is an achiver per excellence. He has helped youths from across the country through his OUK foundation and through Sports.
“This is a Clarion Call to the Senators please vote OUK for DSP for the sake of the Nigerian youths.”
