₦airaland Forum

Abia-North Senator (elect) Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu was this evening hosted by Senator Dino Melaye after Dr. Kalu's successful endorsement of Femi Gbajabiamila for his emergence as speaker of the house of Representatives.
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Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila the APC House of Representatives Speaker hopeful  has been endorsed to emerge as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives the 9th Assembly.

Senator-elect and former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu is the latest personality to endorse the candidature of the Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

The entourage of  Hon. Femi was led by Benjamin Kalu House of Representatives elect Bende LGA, Hon. Abdulmumuni Jubrin and others .
Details later

https://twitter.com/iamkennethcole/status/1135227542603018240?s=19

former Governor of Abia state and Senator-elect, Abia North, Orji Kalu has advised returning and incoming Senators to jettison the party affiliation in supporting the candidature of the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan as the Senate President of the incoming ninth Assembly.

Kalu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) also applauded Senator Peter Nwaboshi (PDP Delta North) for throwing his weight behind the candidacy of Senator Ahmed Lawan.

Kalu, who was quoted in a statement to be addressing a group of youth in Abuja, said Senator Nwaboshi’s decision to jettison party affiliation in endorsing Lawan was “a selfless and patriotic decision”.


The Senator-elect stressed that the decision of Nwaboshi was highly commendable and worthy of emulation.

According to him, with Lawan as Senate President, Nigerians would enjoy dividends of democracy.

He said: “I am indeed, happy that Senator Peter Nwaboshi of the PDP has openly declared his support for Senator Ahmed Lawan of the APC.

“Despite being a member of the PDP, Nwaboshi threw his weight behind a credible, matured and responsible candidate in the person of Lawan.

“The decision of Nwaboshi is a testament that the collective interest of Nigerians is paramount.

“All the senators, regardless of party affiliation, will work harmoniously to build a prosperous Nigeria.

“The 9th national assembly will work closely with other arms of government for the sake of national building

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senate-presidency-set-aside-party-affiliation-for-ahmed-lawan-kalu-begs.html

Ahead of the June 8 inauguration of the Ninth National Assembly, a group of the South-South All Progressives Congress, Urhobo Political Group (UPG), has thrown its weight behind the South-East geopolitical zone to produce the next Deputy Senate President.

The group also endorsed the candidature of Senator(elect) Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu for the position of Deputy Senate President of the Ninth Senate.


Igbere TV reports that the endorsement was carried out through an unanimous voice vote by members of the group during a meeting held at the Owumi Guest House, Ughelli, on Wednesday.

Addressing a mammoth crowd of members of the group, UPG Coordinator, Hon Jerry Uloho described Kalu as a man of integrity whose track record as governor of Abia state was enviable and without blemish.

He said electing the former governor as Deputy Senate President would add candour to the image of Nigeria that is presently in a near obscure level.

As an industrialist who has made much input in the economy of the country, the group said Orji Kalu as DSP would be a plus to the second term of President Muhammadu Buhari in his attempt to salvaging Nigeria economy and the fight against corruption.

“Orji Kalu is cool headed and a personality whose character is not in doubt. We are not comfortable with having a rascal and controversial figure that would rubbish the image of the Senate and the nation at large in the eyes of the global community.

“If Orji Kalu becomes the DSP everybody will sleep, heavens will not destroy heavens. His promotion will not be a punishment to fellow Nigerians and with Orji Kalu, not only the South-South and South-East but the entire nation would be comfortable,” he said.

The group, therefore, urged all elected senators to give Orji Kalu the needed support to emerge as Deputy Senate President of the 9th Assembly.

Recall that Kalu, had on several occasion, declared he would contest the Deputy Senate President position of the Ninth National Assembly.

The Forbes-rated billionaire, while maintaining his position on the DSP post, said he was the 56th senator to endorse Ahmed Lawan for the Senate Presidency.

Speaking with State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Buhari, on Monday, the former Abia governor said, “Well, I am going to contest on the floor of the Senate. I am waiting for the party to zone (the offices) and if the party continues to hold it, and don’t zone it, I will contest on the floor of the House.

“I have already endorsed Ahmed Lawan as the Senate President. That is sacrosanct in my mind and I am appealing to the other parties, let us have only one candidate in the Senate instead of going to drag for it. So, we are on course.

“Yesterday (Sunday), when I returned from Venezuela, Ahmed Lawan was with me in the house and I became the 56th APC senator to endorse him. As I am talking to you now, we are having two more people who are in Mecca, one senator from Katsina and the other from Lagos. Fifty-eight senators are going to sign in and we have the majority to make him Senate President.”

He expressed optimism that the executive and the 9th National Assembly would work harmoniously unlike what obtained in the outgoing 8th Assembly.

http://igberetvnews.com/728541/ninth-nass-apc-ssouth-group-backs-seast-for-dsp-endorses-kalu-photos/

Strong indications have emerged that the Presidency has backed the Southeast for the post of the deputy Senate Presidency. Fresh facts emerged on Tuesday from a reliable source in the Presidency that President Buhari did not endorse the post of the Deputy Senate Presidency to the South-South. According to the source, the President at a recent meeting with some of the party stakeholders at the villa, revealed that he only endorsed Senator Ahmed Lawan for the Senate Presidency and Hon.Femi Gbajabiamila for the speaker of the House of Representatives, and he asked the APC National Working Committee to ensure that all other positions were equitably distributed amongst other geo-political zones.

The source further revealed, that the President still holds strong opinion that the Deputy Senate President position should be zoned to the Southeast and South-South and that he is now open with his stance towards the position to favour the Southeast region. The source further dispelled the impression that the President hates the Igbos.

Meanwhile, the source also confirmed that at the emergency APC NWC caucus meeting which was summoned yesterday the Party had resolved that the Deputy Senate President position will be between the Southeast and the South-South. The source also disclosed that the the NWC were not able to agree on which particular zone between the South South and Southeast to produce the Deputy Senate Presidency.

According to the source at that APC NEC meeting which was held yesterday, also agreed with the Presidency that the position of the Deputy Senate Presidency was between the Southeast and the South-South. This latest information has clarified the earlier report that the position had already been zoned to the South-South by some ministers. The source said that the President was infuriated by the false reports earlier peddled by some ministers in the news that the President has endorsed the South-South to produce the Deputy Senate Presidency.

Also disclosed by the source was that President questioned if there was any issue in the Deputy Senate Presidency being zoned to the Southeast. According to the source the President, from all indications believed that it’s only fair to give southeast the position of the deputy Senate President since the National Chairman of the party comes from the South-South and he also has just re-appointed the Central Bank Governor also from South-South zone.

In conclusion, the source indicated that as at the moment of this report, that the APC NWC after their emergency meeting on this same issue, only agreed to zone it to the Southeast and South South. In line with all these, there are high indications that the matter will likely be settled on the floor of the Red Chamber as the 9th Senate inaugurates.

https://abacityblog.com/2019/05/28/south-south-south-east-to-produce-deputy-senate-president/

Member of the House of Representatives Hon. ONYEJEOCHA NKEIRUKA has this afternoon reaffirmed her interest in becoming speaker of the house of Representatives.

She stated this at an enlarged APC stakeholders meeting in Abia state which comprised of elected, non-elected APC candidates and state party chieftains. Also present at the meeting is Abia-North Senator elect Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu.

The 49 year old representing  , Isuikwato/Umunneochi constituency in, Abia State was elected for a 4th term under the platform of the ruling APC.

Recall , that yesterday the Southeast party stakeholders rejected The NASS leadership  APC zoning formula.

 https://twitter.com/iamkennethcole/status/1122508971171090433?s=19

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NASS LEADERSHIP: Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Hon. Nkeiru Onyejiocha, Hon. Minister for Science and Technology Ogbonnaya Onu are currently in Enugu for the APC South East Stakeholders Zonal Meeting also present are: Senator Andy Uba , Senator Chris Adieje, Hon. Emeka Nwogu, Ebonyi State Governorship Aspirant and for Secretary to the State Government Prof. Benard Odo , Osita Chuks , APC  National Vice Chairman APC South East Chief Emma Eneukwu , elected APC candidates ,former APC Aspirants, APC Support Group leaders  and others .

They are expected to make their formal position known with regards the current  NASS leadership tussle.

Details later ...

@iamkennethcole

https://twitter.com/iamkennethcole/status/1122105624119083010?s=19

Former Governor of Abia State and Senator Elect for Abia North Senatorial district, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has returned to Nigeria after his trip to South Africa.

The Billionaire Business Man who recently embarked on the week long trip on the 18th of April arrived the International wing of the Akanu Ibiam Airport ,Enugu on Thursday at exactly 15 minutes to 8am aboard his customised N7 OUK private jet aircraft .

Dr. Kalu had met with the former President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki in Johannesburg where they discussed on pertinent issues especially how to end the lingering xenophobia attacks on fellow Africans.

He was received at the Airport by his personal aides which included Rev. Jemimah Ola Kalu former Abia State Permanent Secretary & DG of his Senatorial Campaign , Dr. Frank Osita Chuks, others and a waiting convoy deployed by Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Dr. Kalu was greeted to cheers from thousands of supporters who trooped to the airport to welcome the Abia North Senator (elect). Kalu later joined the convoy and headed straight to the Enugu state Lion Building Government House where he was received by the Governor of the State Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Recall that Dr. Orji Kalu also participated in the endorsement ceremony of the African National Congress(ANC) by the former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki in Johannesburg.

The former Governor and his wife, Mrs. Ifunanya Kalu, were on Monday night hosted to a dinner by His Excellency, Sir Chief Dr Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom.
 
Similarly, popular Nigerian pastor and president/founder of Believers Loveworld aka Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilomen on Sunday played host to the former governor in a special church service organized in his South African church, as part of activities to mark his 59th Birthday.

#KennethCole

Former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki in a warm handshake with former governor of Abia state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu after a meeting on Easter Monday in Johannesburg, SA.
Today I had fruitful meeting with the Former President of South Africa,Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki in Johnesburg joined by my wife Mrs Ifunanya Kalu. As leaders we both deliberated on pertinent issues especially ending xenophobic attacks by promoting unity amongst all.


https://twitter.com/OUKtweets/status/1120427537585397761?s=19

Kenneth Udeh the Special Assistant on Media to Former Governor of Abia State and Abia North Senator (elect) Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu is a year older today. He shared some cute photos .

Born and bred in Lagos on April 21st Kenneth UDEH, Kenneth Cole as he is popularly called holds a Bachelors degree in Economics/Education from the Prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, he is also a member of the Computer Science Teacher’s Association (USA) and holds a Cyber Professional Development Certificate from the Association.

He has been a political media influencer for the ruling APC since 2009 under the then Action Congress.

Happy birthday to him. See more photos and his caption below:

” I woke up and I’m like “hey I’m plus one today” .

I’m in short of words just want to say thank you Jesus , my Family , my Love, my Boss Dr.Orji Uzor Kalu and you all yes you my media friends for getting me this far most especially my beloved “critics” God bless you all.

Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday to Kenneth C. UDEH


http://igberetvnews.com/616469/orji-kalus-handsome-media-aide-celebrates-birthday-stunning-photos/

former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Kalu, has advised political leaders in the country to put the issues of the 2019 elections behind them and focus on the real issue of governance.

Kalu gave the advice on Thursday in Lagos while speaking at the 2nd Annual Lecture of Swaaya Limited, publishers of freedom online. Journalists report that the theme of the lecture was ”Fixing The Economy: fewer Politics, More Substance”. The former governor pointed out that the purpose of elections was to elect leaders to make positive changes in the society and not to play politics for eternity. Kalu said now that elections were over, the people expected their leaders to face the real issues of governance to improve their lot. He said it was surprising that some politicians were already talking about 2023, rather than commence earnest work to justify the mandate given to them in the last election. Kalu said though politics and governance were almost inseparable, the latter was more important than the former. ”I want to advise our political leaders that elections are gone, we should now think about governance. ”Nigerian politicians have forgotten about governance and are still talking about politics after the elections

Some people are already talking about 2023 even when they have not done anything about the mandate they got in the last election. ”There is time for everything. There is time for politics and there is time for governance. “This is the time for governance and that is what we should focus on as political leaders across parties,” he said. Kalu said that the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari was one good thing that had happened to the country, as he was committed to service to the people. He urged political leaders to emulate the president and dedicate themselves to the service of the people. On the economy, the former governor said there was a need to diversify and expand it to achieve growth and sustainable development. He said there was a need for the government to allow the private sector to control most businesses, as they had the expertise to do so and create jobs. ”We need to expand the economy for growth, and I have always argued that we need to remove every business from the government for better economic performance. ”It is better for Aliko Dangote to own everything than government owing to a business. ”It is not possible for the government to do policy formulation and do policy implementation at the same time, so businesses are better left with the private sector,” he said. Kalu said there was an urgent need for the country to practice true fiscal restructuring to address the myriads of challenges facing the country. He commended Swaaya Limited for organising the lecture, saying the programme was a platform for discourse on issues of development. The former governor particularly commended the publisher of Freedom online, Mr Gabriel Akinadewo, for what he had achieved within a few years of starting the online news medium. Kalu said Akinadewo, with the development focus of the medium, was no doubt a shining light in journalism. Also speaking, a former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, said there was the need for the country to adopt the idea of restructuring for progress. He said the solution to some of the development challenges of the country lay in restructuring. ”The only way for the system to work is for us to restructure. With restructuring, most of our challenges would be gone,” he said. Daniel said there was a need for Nigerians to strengthen democracy to enhance good governance. The Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba Land, Chief Gani Adams, in his brief speech, also said restructuring was necessary for the country’s development. He, however, said he did not believe the idea should be politicised, but that it should be adopted by leaders across political lines. NAN reports that the Special Adviser to the President on Media, Mr Femi Adesina, was one of the dignitaries that graced the lecture. The lecture also attracted leaders in media organisations including the President of Guild of Editors, Mrs Funke Egbemode; Mr Gbenga Adefaye of the Vanguard Newspapers; as well as other Nigerians. A Telecommunications company, Glo Nigeria, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and some other organisations were recognised for outstanding service by the online medium at the lecture.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/04/lets-put-elections-behind-us-focus-on-governance-orji

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An online media platform, Freedom Online has honoured the former Governor of Abia state and Senator-elect, Abia North Senatorial District, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu in special recognition for his support towards the success of the second edition of the annual lecture of the news medium, ABN TV reports.

Kalu, who was the chairman of the event expressed his readiness to continue advancing freedom of speech and free media through the support of various media platforms.


The lecture which took place on Thursday, April 18th, 2019 at Radisson Blu, Ikeja, Lagos had in attendance His Excellency Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Governor, Ekiti State, His Excellency (Engr) Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Former Governor, Ogun state, Prof. Akin Onigbinde, Mr. Femi Adesina and the Host, Gabriel Akinadewo and other dignitaries.

Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of Freedom Online, Mr. Gabriel Akinadewo, congratulated and thanked Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and others for making the program a success.


https://twitter.com/OUKtweets/status/1118862925643558912?s=08

I want to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on his victory in the 2019 presidential election. It is my sincere wish and prayer that God will keep him strong and healthy to continue in his good works for the country.

It is obvious that the issue of the region that produces the Deputy Senate President of the 9th Senate has become a major point of discussion in Nigeria. The position of Senate President seems to have been settled, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) having made it abundantly clear that the position has been zoned to the North East. However, that of the Deputy Senate President seems not to have been settled. I am afraid of the rumour we are hearing around here that the APC is being reluctant to zone the position to the South East. My fear is borne out of the possibility of the apathy and/or unrest that may ensue should this rumour turn out to be true. It is said that the leadership of the party is not inclined to zone the Deputy Senate President to the South East on the basis of the fact the South East region did not produce any substantial vote for the APC in the last elections.

I feel it would be totally unjust to think along this line as an excuse to deny the people of the South East what is rightly due them. Those of us from the South East who are strongly in APC know the extent of the ridicule we face from our counterparts in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Despite this unfriendly disposition, it is obvious that we have thrived here in the South East, as every practical evidence shows that APC has made appreciable inroads here, compared to what it was in 2015. Please, do not look at the number of votes we were told APC got in the last election. It is clear to all that APC got far more than that. Whatever was behind releasing such figures is a matter for another day.

Of note, the party recorded serious improvement in the 2019 elections, compared to that of 2015. In Abia State, for instance, APC got a paltry 13,384 (3 per cent) of the votes cast in 2015, while in 2019 the votes increased to 85,058, representing 29 per cent of votes cast, and nine times increase on the 2015 performance. This is against a background of dominance by the PDP in the region, with three sitting governors, more than 10 senators and the Deputy Senate President. Thus South East APC needs to be encouraged, not otherwise, and it is obvious that, if South East APC gets the Deputy Senate President this time, it will lead to increased performance in subsequent elections.



It is not hidden that most people around here wrongly accuse President Buhari of hating the Igbo. We know that such accusations are not true because available facts prove them wrong. In the face of this rumour of denying the South East the Deputy Senate President opportunity, our counterparts feel they are about to be proved right. President Buhari cannot let them have the last laugh. They have argued that their party PDP has always accommodated the South East handsomely, having given the region the opportunity to produce the Senate President from 1999 to 2007, and, among other ones, the Deputy Senate President from 2015 till date. Should APC make the mistake of denying the South East this rightful position of the Deputy Senate President, then our counterparts will have a field day in making us the subject of ridicule. Zoning the Deputy Senate President to the South East will go a long way in strengthening the APC within the region.

Luckily, the South East has a capable senator-elect in the person of Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu. His emergence is simply an indication of God’s divine intervention for the South East APC, the South East region and the country as a whole. With Kalu as the Deputy Senate President, the party is assured of the South East’s full integration into the centre because Kalu is a great mobiliser and a bridge that connects people of various divides. Of note, he worked credibly for the party in the last elections, having campaigned vigoursly for APC in his state, Abia, and beyond, taking the Next Level crusade to every part of the country, even across party lines. You would hardly find any single person in Nigeria who campaigned for the party in an individual capacity more than Kalu.

It is equally on record that Kalu is a true advocate of democracy as he, as a governor, fought gallantly against the imposition of the third term agenda on Nigerians. He did this against all odds, not minding the consequences. Despite the seeming threats such advocacy posed against his personal interests, he remained resolute in the interest of true democracy and, by extension, in the interest of Nigerians in general. In his person, Igbo are presenting a candidate we are sure will deliver, and with him the people of the South East will be awakened and hope restored to the region. He is a candidate of peace and unity, a personality who can traverse all ethno-regional sentiments and rise above petty considerations.

In terms of qualifications for the job, Kalu cannot be found wanting, having gathered invaluable experience during his time as a member of the National Assembly (House of Representatives) in 1992/1993, and having occupied the position of vice chairman, Committees on Banking, and Internal Affairs. Above all, he was, within such that duration, the brain behind the famous dual citizenship rights bill. His highly commendable stewardship in Abia State as a governor for eight years (1999 to 2007) is also an added advantage as his sound leadership qualities rubbed off positively on the state.



President Buhari and the APC leadership should not listen to anybody who may want to tell them that the South East is not qualified for the Deputy Senate President position because of APC’s alleged poor performance in the region during the last elections. If anything, the right thing should be to encourage the South East to do better in subsequent elections and there is no better way than to have their popular son become the Deputy Senate President. If APC truly wants to get larger followership and support from the South East, going forward, it should support the allocation of this position of Deputy Senate Presidency to the region and to Kalu. It is the right thing to do in all ramifications. If anyone tells you otherwise, it means such a person is an enemy of our party, APC, and, most remarkably, an enemy of our country, Nigeria.

The APC is lucky to have President Buhari as a rallying point, as everybody in the party holds him in a high esteem. I am sure that everybody, from the party leadership to the senators-elect, will be happy to follow his directive on this, basically because of the respect and compliance he commands from all, and because it is simply a just cause.

I trust that, as the father of all, President Buhari will bring his influence to bear on this very matter to make sure that justice is upheld against all other trivial considerations. Everybody is keenly watching and waiting and the naysayers are salivating at the prospect of ridiculing the party should the South East be overlooked for this position. We have confidently told them they will be disappointed because we believe that, as a man of integrity, you will never allow this potential injustice against the South East.

I am hopeful President Buhari and the APC leadership will vindicate us in this by making sure a South East senator in the person of Orji Uzor Kalu gets this position of Deputy Senate President of the 9th Senate. It is the just thing to do.
https://www.sunnewsonline.com/deputy-senate-presidency-strong-case-for-south-east-kalu/

A former Governor of Abia State, now a Senator-elect for Abia North senatorial zone, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to wrap up issues concerning leadership of the Ninth Assembly in order to avoid division among the lawmakers.


Kalu expressed optimism that the APC leadership would listen to him and zone the Deputy Senate President position to the South East.

Kalu, who is also a former member of the House of Representatives, said that he will champion enactment of bills and other initiatives that will aid in revamping the economy.


The former Governor made this known when he spoke with journalists in Abuja at the end of the orientation programme for members of the Ninth Assembly.

Kalu said he was interested in the economy, adding that he would focus his interest on how it can be stimulated so as to increase the purchasing power of the citizen.

His said, “The Nigerian people will see me contributing to how to stimulate the economy.


“The economy is very important to me. We need to put the economy on the right path so that people will get money to spend and be good citizens.

“We are going to work hand-in-hand with the executive to see how we can put bills that will stimulate the economy and make the private sector to be strong.”

On his aspiration to be the next Deputy Senate President, Kalu added,

“I don’t want the party to start having divisions in the National Assembly. I want us to wrap up this business.

“I want us to speak in one voice in the National Assembly.

“I have enormous respect for the leadership of the country and the leadership of the party,” he said.

https://dailypost.ng/2019/04/14/nass-leadership-orji-kalu-cautions-apc-leadership/

Ahead of the inauguration of the 9th Senate, former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji, Uzor Kalu, has said that the position of Deputy Senate President should be ceded to the South East in the interest of equity and fair play.

Kalu, a senator-elect from Abia North senatorial zone, stated this on Monday in an interview with journalists in Abuja, on the sidelines of the ongoing orientation programme for members-elect of the 9th session of the National Assembly.

The former governor said since the All Progressives Congress (APC) has zoned the position of Senate President to the North East, it should as well zone the position of Deputy Senate President to the South East.

He noted that it is imperative for the APC National Working Committee (NWC) and other leaders of the party to ensure that the diversity of the country is reflected in the zoning of the positions of presiding officers in the National Assembly.

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/9th-senate-kalu-insists-on-deputy-senate-president-for-south-east/

The member elect, Bende North state constituency of Abia state Hon. Chijioke Chukwu has said the former governor of Abia state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu is the figure to engender equity and sense of belonging to the people of South East region as the ninth senate sets soon.



He said this on Tuesday when he featured in ABN TV’s TALK MAKE I TALK show in Umuahia.

He called on APC to zone the Senate Presidency to the South East in the spirit of equity.

“If we want to talk about equity, the number three man in the country should come from the south East.

“Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu is the most eminently qualified to be the senate president. He has the contact and the reach, he can stand tall among his colleagues. If he does not get the senate president and the deputy senate president, Igbos generally are in trouble. It means no Igbo man will be among the principals of the national assembly or of the senate and it will affect us. It will increase the feelings of marginalization” he said.

Hon. Chijioke defeated Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe, the deputy speaker of Abia State House of Assembly in the just conclude 2019 state assembly election.

https://www.abnews247.com/2019/04/senate-presidency-ouk-represents-equity-for-south-east-region-hon-chijioke/

The victory of the Former Governor of Abia State and Abia-North Senator Elect Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu got further certification as he had his public profile upgraded on popular multilingual encyclopedia website “Wikipedia”.
A visit to the Wikipedia website showed that the “Senatorial” title had been included to Dr. Kalu’s profile.
The world’s leading encyclopedia website introduced Dr. Kalu’s profile as the “Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, it read in full : Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (incoming) incumbent Assumed office May 2019”.

A photo from the website was also shared on the twitter handle of Kalu’s Media Aide Mr. Kenneth Udeh @iamkennethcole.
Wikipedia launched 18 years ago on January 15, 2001 is the world’s leading online encyclopedia created and edited by volunteers around the world and hosted by Wikimedia Foundation.
Recall that Dr. Orji Uzor kalu defeated the outgoing Senator Mao-Ohuabunwa with over 10,000 votes in the recently concluded February 23rd National Assembly / Presidential elections to represent Abia North Senatorial zone.

http://igberetvnews.com/605631/orji-kalu-gets-senatorial-profile-upgrade-wikipedia/

Former Governor of Abia State and Abia-North Senator Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has proceeded on a business trip . This is coming just a day after he declared his ambition to run for the Deputy Senate Presidency yesterday.
Kalu had yesterday dared to contest for the post of the Senate Presidency if the position of the Deputy Senate Presidency was not zoned to the Southeast citing equity and justice as reasons.

The picture was shared by his Media Aide he wrote:

Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu @OUKtweets is not your average "chop I chop" politician. Without fear or favour he speaks his mind for his people and Jets out to attend to his 4.5 billion dollar investment.
#OneNigeria
#ForbesBillionaires
#ThursdayThoughts

https:///iljgd3Rf9g

former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has said that unless the ruling All Progressives Congress makes him the Deputy President of the 9th Senate, he will fight to become the Senate President.

He said this while indicating his interest to contest for the position of Deputy Senate President in the soon-to-be constituted 9th National Assembly.


Kalu also wants the APC to zone the position to the South-East “in the interest of equity and justice.”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Abia North Senator-elect spoke with newsmen on Wednesday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

He noted that he was aware that the APC, which has the majority in the forthcoming Senate, has zoned the Senate presidency to the North-East and the Deputy Senate President to the North-West.


Kalu said: “I’m a very loyal party man. The party has zoned the Senate presidency to the North-East and I want to respect the party’s will; but the second position is what we are not going to allow to leave the South-East.

“So, as far as I’m concerned, in the South-East, I’m going to run openly on the floor of the House for the position of Deputy Senate President.


“I am not going to listen to the party, neither will I listen to anybody. Nobody that wants to be the Deputy Senate President is more loyal than I am to the party.

“I have suffered for the party and have been called by Nigerians to come out. I want the party to respect the will of every other person and I’m committed to democracy and contesting on the floor of the House.”

According to him, Articles One and 50 of the Constitution make it clear that members of the National Assembly in-house can elect their principal officers.

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He said it was only fair that the position is retained in the South-East, stressing that both President Muhammadu Buhari and APC chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, are well aware of this.

“So, if justice must prevail, you have to bring the Senate President from the North-East and you bring the Deputy Senate President to the South-East.

“The chairman of the party is from South-South. The President is from North-West. The Vice-President is from South-West and also the Senate President will come from North-East.

“Whether it is Senators Ahmed Lawal or Alli Ndume, this will be decided on the floor of the House.

“So, for me, the tripod in Nigeria is Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa; and we are going to get the deputy Senate president and I will fight on the floor of the House like no other person has fought.

“That is not challenging the party but this is about looking for justice. Buhari said recently after the elections that he will be addressing issues of injustice and this is part of the issue,” Kalu said.

He further maintained that he was qualified for the position, having being a former member of the Federal House of Representatives from 1991 to 1993 and also a two-time governor.

Kalu said: “I know the nook and crannies of how legislators operate. I have dealt with them and I am not a new comer. So, it is going to be impossible to edge me out or edge a whole zone out by claiming we are new comers.

“What I’m fighting for is justice, fair play and for Nigeria to continue to be one. I have suffered in fighting for the unity of the country. They cannot use National Assembly or petty House officers to divide the country.

“I have sweated. All my investments are in the North, in the West and the South and we must protect these things and live in peace.”

He, however, warned that he would be forced to contest for the position of the Senate President if the APC fails to make him a deputy.

“I have the capacity for lobbying. I am well known in East, West and North. I will run for the Senate President if justice is not done to say, ‘South-East, bring the Deputy Senate President.’

“I can assure you that there are over 56 Senators in my kitty now for either the Senate President or the Deputy Senate President that have already signed to what I believe in.

“It is only just to unveil it on the floor of the House,” Kalu added
https://punchng.com/make-me-deputy-or-ill-vie-for-senate-presidency-orji-kalu-tells-apc/

Following the rumoured zoning of the positions of the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy President of the Senate to the North East, South West and North West respectively, a body, “United Religious Movement” has cautioned the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against heating the polity.

According to spokesperson of the group comprising Christian youths, Apostle Kehinde Collins, Nigeria is a multi-religious country and as such, equal opportunities must be given to the two predominant religions: Islam and Christianity for the sake of peace and unity.
He stressed that the 9th session of the national assembly is made up of Christians and Muslims in the red and green chambers.
Addressing a special session with members of the group on Tuesday, Collins urged the leadership of the APC to take cognizance of the heterogeneous nature of Nigeria.

He said, “it is imperative for the APC to be conscious of the multi-religious nature of the country.

” Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila have been penciled by the APC as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.

“The duo of Lawan and Gbajabiamila are Muslims.

” There is need to accommodate Christians in these positions.

“For the sake of peaceful co-existence among all religious and ethnic groups, there must be fairness and equity in appointments across the board.

” The appointments are lopsided and will polarize the country”.

” The leadership of the APC should consider a Christian for either President of the Senate or Speaker of the House of Representatives.

While urging religious leaders to call the political class to order, Collins appealed to the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole to ensure all ethnic and religious groups are given a equal opportunities.

http://igberetvnews.com/599890/9th-nass-consider-christians-zoning-arrangements-group-tells-apc/

Two months ahead of the inauguration of the Ninth National Assembly, the race for the position of Senate President has started in earnest with virtually all the geo-political zones in the country angling for the plum job.

This is even as Sunday Sun findings revealed that despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge not to interfere in the emergence of the new leadership of the Ninth Assembly, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has started to work hard behind the scene to ensure that the party avoids the pitfalls of 2015, where it had the majority seats in the National Assembly, but could not enthrone its preferred choices for the leadership of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. For the Senate, part of the party’s strategy, it was gathered, includes backing any of the candidates that enjoy the overwhelm- ing support of his colleagues, but whose capacity to steer the affairs of the Red Chamber and loyalty to the party are not in question. It was also learnt that the party is ready to key into President Buhari’s pledge to run an inclusive government in his second term with its choice for the position. Against this back- drop, many analysts believe that the race is now between Senators Ahmed Lawan (Yobe Southeast); Ali Ndume (Nasarawa West, North- Northeast). They also North, Northeast); Orji (Borno South, North- central); and Danjuma believe that the ruling Uzor Kalu (Abia North, east); Abdullahi Adamu Goje (Gombe Central, party and its leadership would be getting iv right if the mantle of the Sen- ate leadership falls on the shoulders of any of the five.

Ahmed Lawan

The Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan is returning to the upper legislative chamber as a highly ranked APC senator with robust legislative experience. He represents Yobe North Senatorial District of Yobe State. Lawan first became a lawmaker in 1999 when he was elected into the House of Representatives on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He was re- elected in 2003. He con- tested for the Senate in 2007 and was elected to represent Yobe North Senatorial District, a position he has held since then. He has chaired many committees both at the lower chamber and in the Senate, just as he has moved many motions and sponsored many bills. His legislative experience is a huge plus for him.

Besides, the power equation in the APC also favours him. ANPP is one of the legacy parties that merged to form the APC. The others are the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). The CPC bloc has the presidency; the ACN bloc has the vice president, while the ANPP bloc appear not to have been accommodated enough in the scheme of things in the party in the last four years. Lawan is the highest public official from the defunct ANPP and the bloc is pushing hard to have him elected for the position.

Many APC faithful also see him as a loyal party man. The fact that he has also remained in the op- position since 1999 distinguishes him as an ideolog- ical politician. Also counting for him is that when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defectors to the APC led by Dr Bukola Saraki hijacked the con- trol of the National Assembly in 2015, Lawan, who was initially tipped for the position of Senate Presi- dent before a ‘coup’, weathered the storm with his party. He was later compensated with the position of Senate Leader. And after APC lost 14 senators in 2018, with Saraki announcing his exit shortly after, he showcased his leadership skills by galvanizing the remaining APC senators to defend the party at all times. He effectively blocked numerous anti- presidency legislations initiated and driven by the opposition.

Lawan also parades a strong academic record. He is a graduate of the University of Maiduguri where he studied Geography. He holds higher degrees, including a postgraduate Diploma in Land Survey, an MSc and PhD in Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS), all from the University of Cranfield, United Kingdom.

Orji Uzor Kalu

A former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu is another strong contender for the position. He was elected to represent Abia North Senatorial District during the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections. Although he will be a first timer in the upper legislative chamber, he had a robust legislative experience in the NASS be- tween 1992 and 1993 when he represented his constituency in the House of Representatives. He is by that virtue a ranking lawmaker and is qualified for the job.

Besides, Kalu’s portfolio as a bridge builder in the country is one of the factors that will go in his favour ahead of the other contenders. His political affiliations cut across the length and breadth of the country. His contributions to the APC since joining the party have been remarkable. He traveled to all the nooks and crannies of the country to sell the candidature of President Muhammadu Buhari well before he formally declared to re-contest the presidency. The votes secured by the president in Kalu’s Abia State in particular and the Southeast in general testify to the fact that his efforts were not in vain.

A chieftain of the APC and the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Osita Okechukwu, put this in perspective in a recent interview with Sunday Sun when he stated: “Mr President had made inroad in the South and the people appreciated it. In Enugu, for instance, he had 14,000 votes in 2015. This year, he has 54,000. In Ebonyi, he had about 17,000. This year, he has over 80,000. In Imo, he had 18 per cent in total votes in 2015. Today, he has more than 25 per cent. In Abia, he had more than 25 per cent. But in 2015, he had only three per cent.”

The former governor also stands out as a successful entrepreneur with vast interests in aviation, banking and finance, merchandising, publishing and maritime. Thus, he has efficiently managed men and materials. So, having him at the helm of affairs in the Senate will be an added advantage for the ruling party in its quest for prudence in managing the resources of the country.

Kalu also parades sterling academic records. He attended the University of Maiduguri where he studied Political Science. He also has a degree from the Abia State University, a Certificate in Business Administration from Harvard University and honorary doctorates from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, as well as universities of Maiduguri and Abia State. He became the youngest Nigerian to receive the National Merit Award from former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, at the age of 26 in 1986.

Besides these personal credentials, the calls for the readjustment of the power sharing arrangement in the country might work in his favour. For instance, the Southeast is laying strong claims to the position of the Senate President in the next dispensation. It could be recalled that the APC had ceded the position to the zone in 2015, but un- fortunately, the region could not produce a senator not to talk of a ranking one. But after the 2019 elections, the zone produced three senators among them Kalu, Benjamin Uwajumogu and Rochas Okorocha. So, those pushing for the Southeast to produce the Senate President expect that the party would revert to the 2015 zoning arrangement as a reward for the success of the party in the Southeast in the last election.

Also, a former Special Adviser, Political Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak, supports this line of thought. “We need as of today, if my opinion matters; I want the Senate Presidency to go to the South. The president is from the North; the vice president is

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/senate-presidency-lawan-kalu-ndume-adamu-goje-as-frontrunners/

The Abia State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the National Assembly leadership of the party to not only cede Senate presidency to South-East but consider former governor Orji Uzor Kalu fit for the upper legislative top post. With just two months to the expiration of the tenure of the 8th Senate, race for succession has begun as some senators who won their re-election bids and those recently elected already joined the race. Political pundits believed that of those perceived to be the key contenders was from the South-East, while three were from the Northeast and the other was from the North-central.



They are Kalu, Senator Ahmad Lawan from Yobe, former Gombe State governor, Danjuma Goje, Senator Ali Ndume from Borno and Senator Adamu Abdullahi from Nasarawa State. While Kalu hails from the Southeast, Lawan, Goje and Ndume are all from the Northeast. Abdullahi who hails from the North-central complete the expected list of contenders. Addressing newsmen in Aba, APC Publicity Secretary in Abia, Comrade Benedict Godson said that the structural makeup of the current government from executive, legislative and the judiciary had shown that it would be the most infallible and plain sailing decision for the party to cede the senate president to South-East. He said: “For us here, this should not be a difficult decision at all. It is a decision that will show inclusiveness in all ramifications.



The structure of the current government from executive, legislative and judiciary calls for a space for the Southeast to accommodate and integrated. “Our able leader, President Muhammadu Buhari is from Northwest, our Vice- President, Prof YemiOsinbajo from South-West, Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha and the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari are both from Northeast. “Although the current senate president and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are no longer our members, but both are from Northcentral and Northeast respectively. And the Southsouth until recently had the number one position in the judiciary (CJN). Even the National Chairman of our party is from the Southsouth as well.



“This goes to show that the Southeast is the only geo-political zone which has no ranking government official in the hierarchy of power within the APC-led government. So, giving us this one is a no brainer I must say it unequivocally. “Agreed, in 2015 we didn’t do much in terms of sending people from APC to the National Assembly, but the story is different today as we already have an elected Senator and members of House of Representatives. Even in the presidential election, we showed serious commitment and dedication to our party candidate who won convincingly.”



“Those of us from Abia are strongly behind our leader, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and believe he should be considered for the post because he is capable and has collected his certificate of return from INEC and as such now a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the Southeast. “People may say he’s a greenhorn in the senate, but we must put records straight, because he is not new in the National Assembly. He was in the House of Representatives in 1991. He was deputy chairman, House Committee on Finance and Immigration, because his party, the National Republican Convention (NRC) was in minority then. He’s not a greenhorn at all.”
https://www.newtelegraphng.com/2019/03/senate-presidency-abia-apc-rallies-support-for-kalu/

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia, Austin Meregini, a.k.a “Ugolee”, says none other than Orji Uzor Kalu deserves the position of Senate President in the 9th National Assembly.

Concise News reports that Meregini, the APC Candidate for Umuahia East Constituency seat in the Abia State House of Assembly in the last general elections, made the assertion while speaking with NAN on Tuesday in Lagos.


“It is natural justice to cede the position to the South-East to douse all complaints about marginalisation by the people of the region.

“For the 9th Senate, it is obvious that there is a common consensus and informal agreement among Nigerians that the South-East is properly positioned to produce the Senate President.

“And it will be bad if south-easterners are denied this position. As we have it now, obviously, it is only the South-South and South-East that are left out in the equation.

“For the South-South, President Muhammadu Buhari took over from South-South; the South-East has never played or occupied any major role within the power configuration of the country,’’ he says.

The APC Chieftain adds: “It will be natural justice to have a south-easterner assume this position and it will be no other person than Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, the Abia North Senator-elect for the ninth assembly.

“And from all indications without mincing words, no other person is more positioned or more qualified than Chief Orji Uzor Kalu.”

According to him, Kalu though a first-term senator possesses the requisite leadership and legislative experience to lead the red chamber.

He states that Kalu, as a former member of the House of Representatives (in 1991) and two-term governor of Abia, had the love of the country at heart and cares so must about the south-easterners.

“So, in terms of leadership and what it takes to project the interest of the country at the Senate, as well as what it takes to represent the south-easterners, Kalu is more qualified and properly positioned to assume this position.

“By ceding the Senate Presidency to the South-East, it will go a long way to pacify the region, and give them a sense of belonging in the Nigeria equation.”

According to him, if the office is zoned to the region, it will bring natural peace and harmonious coexistence in the country and end all Biafra agitations as well as secession quests.

Meregini says that South-East being brought into the mainstream of Nigeria politics will douse tensions and cries of marginalisation.

The candidate, who alleges that he was rigged out during the election, urged his supporters to remain calm as the mandate would be regained at the tribunal.

The ruling APC secured majority seats in the just-concluded National Assembly election, and the party has yet to state the geo-political zone to produce the ninth National Assembly Senate President

https://www.concisenews.global/2019/03/19/why-orji-uzor-kalu-should-be-the-next-senate-president-apc-chieftain/

The Presidency, through the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has thrown his weight behind the quest that the Senate President’s position should go to the South-East.

In an interview with Newsmen, on Sunday, Ngige said that both Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and Senator Ben Uwajimogu, are fully qualified for the position, and should be considered by their party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Ngige said: “We have those that are ranking now. We have Ben Uwajimogu, he is now a two-term Senator, he is coming back from the ruling party.

“We have Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu. Orji Uzor Kalu was a Federal Assembly Legislator during the Military regime, it is counted, because it was a National Assembly, so he has got some ranking.

“Therefore, Orji Uzor Kalu is also qualified. Okorocha’s case will be determined before then.

“We now have some Senators, unlike the last time when we had zero non-party Senators coming from the South-East. There was nobody at all. So, the South-East should definitely be in the equation, I mean the proportion of Senate Presidency.”

Ngige also spoke of the just concluded general elections, condemning the violence that trailed the polls in some States.

https://www.abnews247.com/2019/03/jubilation-presidency-nominates-two-qualified-igbo-senators-to-replace-saraki-as-senate-president/

Mr. Kenneth Udeh a Nairalander & Special Media Assistant to APC Chieftain & Abia-North Senator elect Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu recently met with the Minister for Labour & Productivity Senator Chris Ngige.

The graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University also took photos with the honourable Minister.

He wrote :
It was yet another great pleasure meeting the Honourable Minister for Labour & Productivity Senator Chris Ngige @SenChrisNgige . I am happy for his unflinching support for my principal

https://twitter.com/iamkennethcole/status/1107617802238730240?s=19

On The Cusp of Another Crisis


For the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the storm gathers once again. Just as the party savours its victory in a bitterly-fought presidential election that President Muhammadu Buhari won, clouds of crisis hover over it as the jockeying for principal positions in the National Assembly begins.

By virtue of Section 64(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the 8th National Assembly expires by effusion of time on June 8. Barring last minute development, Buhari, going by precedent, is expected to proclaim the 9th National Assembly into being on June 9, 2019.

However, barely have winners emerged in the National Assembly elections than newly-elected lawmakers, comprising returning members and first termers with enough heft to swing things their way, have started positioning themselves for the leadership positions of the National Assembly.

At stake are the following positions: Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Majority Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip, among others.

But while the lawmakers are lining up themselves for the various leadership positions in the legislature, the APC, which is expected to play a crucial role in who gets what, unlike in the 2015 race, is playing it close to its chest.

In 2015, the APC, then a rainbow of political forces determined to wrest power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), badly managed the process and this led to the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki, a powerful politician from Kwara, as the Senate President. He won
despite efforts by the party to stop him. The APC officials were determined to work for the emergence of Senator Ahmad Lawan from the North-East.

Their inability to assert any authority to rally party members behind Lawan was aided by Buhari’s now famous quotation in his presidential inaugural address in which he spoke about being for nobody and being for everybody.

The party lethargy, arguably due to its inexperience in managing the complexity of national politics, as the key decision makers in the party were hitherto little emperors in their tribal political hegemonies whose words were laws to other party members, provided the leeway for Saraki to outfox the APC.

Saraki, a two-term governor of Kwara State under PDP and former Chairman, Nigerian Governors Forum, tapped into his PDP root to beat APC leaders at their own game of intrigues. As part of the bargaining chips, he traded off the deputy Senate Presidency for the support of opposition senators, whose numerical strength was crucial in picking a Senate President.

While 51 out of about 66 APC senators were at the International Conference Centre, Abuja for a controversial meeting whose convener(s) remain(s) unknown to the public till date, the 57 senators at the maiden sitting unanimously elected Saraki as the Senate president.

The absentee senators barely made it back to the National Assembly for the inaugural sitting only to witness PDP’s Ike Ekweremadu who expectedly defeated APC and Ali Ndume, in a contest that gave a legal veneer to the horse-trading between Saraki and PDP.

That is why the APC cannot fritter away a second chance to manage the process better this time.

Before the 2015 elections were won and loss, the expectation was that the APC would back a South-East lawmaker as Senate President or House Speaker. With the president from the North and the vice-president, Yemi Osinbajo, from the South-West, conceding either of the two positions to the South-East seemed the logical step in conformity with Nigeria’s power rotation system that aims to quell fears of marginalisation among the federating units by ensuring equitable distribution of power and its appurtenances among the six geopolitical zones.

However, the poor performance of APC in the South-East, a traditional stronghold of PDP, derailed that expectation. All the federal lawmakers from the five states in the geopolitical zone were PDP members.

Even the five Igbo who won election to the House in Lagos State, dominated by the APC, did so on the platform of PDP. But for the Saraki deal with PDP that birthed the Ekweremadu Senate deputy presidency, the South-East would have been out of the power loop in a nation were strong ethnic sentiments drive relationship between constituent states and the federal government.

And now that the first stanza of the 2019 general election is over with APC even improving on its 2015 records, the party is on the cusp of another crisis.

The performance of the APC in the South-East in the recent election has thrown up a spectre of the marginalisation of the geopolitical in the power equation. However, unlike in 2015, the geopolitical zone has produced two APC senators and could get another one should Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu win his re-election bid for the Imo North Senatorial District. INEC declared the contest inconclusive on February 23 and rescheduled the conclusion for March 9. Uwajumogu won his reelection, making him,arguably the most favoured APC senator from the South-east to become a principal officer in the Senate.

In the presidential election, the five states in the geopolitical zone also gave Buhari 403,242 votes, up from the 198,248 votes he got in 2015. The incoming senators, former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, the outgoing Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, and Uwajumogu should present an opportunity for the APC not to tread the 2015 path.

Like Okorocha in Imo State, Kalu was instrumental to the impressive showing APC put up in the National Assembly election in his Abia State. Apart from winning his senatorial seat, he played a key role in the election of two APC members, Benjamin Kalu of Bende Federal Constituency and Nkeiruka Onyejeocha of the Isikwuuato/Umunneochi, into the House of Representatives. He also delivered his Bende Local Government to Buhari who beat PDP’s Atiku Abubakar by 9,233 votes to 6,649.

However, unlike Okorocha, Kalu, by virtue of his election on the platform of the now defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) into the 593-member House of Representatives in the July 4, 1992 to herald the aborted Third Republic, could be considered a ranking senator.

The ranking rules confer on former House members same privileges as former senators. Should Kalu choose to bid for the post, it certainly will not be a picnic but he is eminently qualified.

Although many may argue that power distribution should be seen as a reward for electoral performance, the danger in that narrative is that it foists on the polity a winner-takes-all mentality that negates the principles of fairness and equity enunciated by the nation founding fathers.

In addition, we should start shifting away from the divisive policy of punishing voters for their choices. The moment the election is over, winners such as president and governors should forget about who voted for them or against them by ensuring an equitable distribution of political power.

The APC would gain more from running an inclusive government that gives the South-East a better sense of belonging in the federation than the 2015 attempts that seek to punish the geopolitical zone for voting against the party. If the tokenism of the Buhari first term could
pave the way for the improvement in the party’s performance in 2019 in the South-East, giving the zone a greater chance in running the nation’s affair will enhance the incremental progress APC is making in the geopolitical zone.

Perhaps this is the time for the president to give life to his promise while collecting his certificate of return, to run an inclusive government.

*James, a public affairs analyst, writes from Kaduna


https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/15/on-the-cusp-of-another-crisis/

Senator-elect for Abia North and former state governor, Orji Kalu, said on Thursday that he had put his political enmity with his successor, c, behind him and was prepared to work harmoniously with him in the Senate.

Mr Kalu said this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent in Umuahia, shortly after receiving his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Election Commission in Abuja.

He said: “I have forgiven him (Orji) for the benefit of Abia people and we are going to work as one family in the Senate in the interest of Abia and Nigeria.

“We are going to have a robust relationship in the Senate because the interest of Abia and Abians is uppermost to me.”

NAN reports that Mr Kalu and Mr Orji, who succeeded him in 2007 as Abia governor, had been arch- enemies for almost a decade due to political differences.

Mr Kalu, who won the March 9 National Assembly polls, after two consecutive attempts, said that he would work assiduously to re-write the history of representation in his senatorial district.

“There is a lot of work to do for my constituency and we shall work to support the programmes of the Federal Government to ensure they succeed,” he said.

Mr Kalu, who was a member of the House of Representatives in the aborted Third Republic, promised that the ninth Senate would reverse the unnecessary delay in the passage of the annual budget.

He said that the Senate would ensure that the Appropriation Bills received expeditious consideration, once they were presented by the president.

“The consideration and passage of budget estimates would not exceed three months. Once the president presents the bill in September, by December we would have concluded the consideration.

“By so doing, the budget would be ready by January for the president’s assent,” Mr Kalu said.

He said that during the consideration of the budget, the ministers would be restrained from embarking on overseas trips.
“They must be available during the budget defence. They would not be allowed to travel overseas until the budget is ready,” Mr Kalu said

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-east/320267-kalu-promises-harmonious-relationship-with-rival-orji-in-senate.html

You mean blunt

Houseofglam7:
All you relationships start off as PERFECT....and then life happens....and the story changes.
Celebrity relationships,even worse....
They keep passing emselves like a joint