Group pushes for emergence of Kalu as senate president

From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

The United Nigeria Movement for Equity, Justice and Fairness is pushing for the emergence of Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu as senate president.

The group said the position should be zoned to the South East and to a Christian, in view of complaints and dissatisfaction by  a cross section of Nigerians following the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to field a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the last presidential election.

Coordinator of the group, Dr. Ezenwa Onyirimba, in a statement, yesterday, urged all party members to mobilise support for Kalu by ensuring all senators vote for him as their leader.

He said the decision to back a candidate from the South East was taken at the end of the group’s emergency meeting in Abuja.

“A senate president from the South East will bring the needed peace and co-existence among all Nigerians and thereby reducing or eliminating the agitation from the zone. A senate president from South East will give the people sense of belonging in the party the perceived as a Muslim and non-igbo friendly political party which will enable our party to penetrate the zone and take advantage of the dying situation of PDP in the zone.

“A senate president from the South East will ensure that the administration of Bola Tinubu will be well accepted by all and also it will show that the party belongs to all Nigerians.

“We as free thinkers have also looked further around the South East for a most qualified candidate for the job, and we decided that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, is most qualified, credible and highest ranking member of the 9th Assembly from the zone that is suitable for the job.”

The group said the Chief Whip of the Senate and former Abia State governor exhibited courage and loyalty to Tinubu and the APC when he became the first member of the party to publicly back the president-elect to choose a Muslim running mate.

“His stand made him take so many bullets from the opposition and risk re-election. But it also doused the fears among Nigerians that there was nothing wrong in our president having a Muslim vice president. We believe that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu will be a great team player, asset and backbone in the senate. A trusted ally of our president-elect for over three decades. We all know that Senator  Kalu is well accepted in the religion, tribe and among younger Nigerians. It’s a partnership that will work for all.”