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• Those who jailed me wanted me dead- Orji Kalu
• As 9th Senate holds valedictory session
From Fred Itua, Abuja
Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday begged lawmakers-elect of the 10th National Assembly to put the interest of Nigerians first in selecting the presiding officers of the 10th Senate and the House of Representatives.
The Vice President made the appeal during the valedictory session of the 9th Senate.
Aggrieved aspirants for leadership positions in the National Assembly are unhappy with the zoning arrangements made by the National Working Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The party zoned the office of President of the Senate to the South-south, and zeroed it to Godswill Akpabio. The position of Deputy Senate President was zoned to the Northwest with Jibrin Barau as the favourite.
Shettima in his speech at the valedictory session said: “To my fellow colleagues who will depart from this chamber, I address you not as colleagues left behind, but as experienced lawmakers who have become an integral part of my history.
“We have shared many things in common and standing shoulder to shoulder in times of adversity. We have fought relentlessly for the betterment of our dear country.
“To my incoming colleagues, I will leave you with a paradox. The stability of this nation is superior to the stability of our pockets. On Tuesday, let us vote wisely. Let us vote for the Nigerian nation.”
First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, who lauded her colleagues for making contributions through legislations to the development of the country, recalled some of her experiences in the Red Chamber.
According to her, “God sustained me for three terms, from 7th Assembly to 9th Assembly. I am still confused myself how I have been able to continue the journey because serving the nation takes a lot of sacrifice.
“It started with the sacrifice from your homes, your children even your better half. It is also a great privilege for all of us that are here because over the years, we have made friends, brothers, sisters across our various tribes, ethnicity and religious divide. We have the entire Nigerians being represented and we were able to forge ahead and come together when we need to make very good decisions in the overall interest of the nation. We did that as elder statesmen and women.
“My thanks will go to my husband for even giving me support. He gives me advice when I seek for it. He gave me the freedom to be myself and to be able to make contributions necessary to improve the lives of our people especially our women, youths and children. God used me to do exploit in this hallowed chamber. I did all that is required of every legislator. Motions, bills, including those that had been assented into law.”
Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu, said before he ventured into politics that he was wealthy and played a critical role financially in the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“Before I came into politics, I could buy anything money can buy. I’m not a thief.
“Those that put me in prison know the reason. They took over my businesses and wanted to kill me, yet I survived it and I’m in the Senate with you.
“I have never lacked. While I was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where I served for two terms as governor, I brought the money that they used in forming that party. Every penny, in 1997 and 1998, and I later became a thief.
“People I gave transport money from my house in VI became agents. This is what Nigeria represents. Thank you for giving me these four years of uninterrupted support. This country is not fair.”
