2023: Ahmed Lawan On His Own If APC Presents South-East Candidate – Orji Kalu
- Says Kwankwaso, NNPP changing political dynamics
BY VICTOR BUORO – The Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu on Monday said Senate President Ahmed Lawan will not be an option if the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presents a presidential candidate of Igbo extraction for 2023 polls.
Uzor Kalu, who recently claimed that nine APC presidential aspirants are set to step down for Senator Lawan, said he will not think twice about doing a complete u-turn from his current position if the party gives the presidential ticket to the South-East geo-political zone.
He however also added another dimension to his submission saying that the former Governor of Kano State and Leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has suddenly emerged as a strong factor in the 2023 presidential race.
Speaking as a guest on the Channel Television programme, Politics Today, on Monday, Senator Uzor Kalu while defending his decision to pull out of the presidential race, said the position ought to be zoned to the South East.
According to him; “We have supported South West. We supported President Obasanjo, we supported Vice President Osinbajo, we supported Vice President Jonathan for five years and we supported President Jonathan for six years. Why can’t they support us?” he asked.
“Any southerner that is not from South East and is coming to run for president is a betrayer. They are the ones betraying us.”
On Kwakwanso as a factor in the 2023 contest, the former Abia State Governor said, “Our problem is Kwakwanso, not APC or PDP because Kwakwanso is already a presidential candidate. That was what I saw when I pulled out. If they had given me the ticket in APC, I would have lost and it would not be good for us.
“If PDP or APC gives their ticket to southern Nigerians, Kwakwanso is already a president waiting. I can assure you that knowing the mentality of what is the truth on the ground unless you are telling yourselves lies. I don’t tell myself lies. I’m a student of realism.
“So, Kwakwanso is the problem, because if PDP goes to the North and APC goes to the south it’s as well telling me to pack my luggage and go. I will not have a job in the national assembly. I won’t have a job in the federal government of Nigeria. That’s the truth because we want to change the thing that will be for the people,” he said.
Insisting that the presidential aspiration of Senator Kwakwanso, National Leader of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), has changed the political dynamics in the country ahead of the 2023 general elections, the lawmaker said; “I’m speaking the truth from my heart. My party will be fooled if they don’t go to the north. I’m just going for Ahmed Lawan. I’m going for a man that will do the job. I don’t have two candidates.”
On his support and claims that Lawan’s presidential ambition is getting serious traction with some candidates ready to step down for him, Kalu said; “I want to tell you, I have spoken to nine candidates running for president, and they are ready, already discussing to step down for Ahmed Lawan.”
He said Nigeria needs strong leadership going forward and Lawan is the one that can give the country such, adding; “I have known him 41 years ago,” the Senator said. “We were roommates at the university. He is strong enough to give the Nigerian people what they are looking for.”
The Publisher of The Sun and Daily Telegraph Newspapers said the Senate President has continued to play a vital role in stabilizing the Nigerian parliament with several bills having been passed by the lawmakers under his watch and deserves a chance to lead the country.
