Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, has maintained that the position of deputy senate president in the ninth senate 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 in an interview with journalists in Abuja, yesterday, on the sidelines of ongoing orientation programme for members-elect of the ninth 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.
Kalu, who had earlier indicated interest to contest for the senate president in the ninth Senate, said although he has the capacity to contest for the position of a presiding officer of the Senate and emerge victorious, as a loyal party man, he will respect the decision of the APC on which zone produces the leadership of the Senate.
“I am a very loyal party man. The party has already zoned the position of Senate president. I can never disobey the party. The party is supreme.
“What I am asking the party is since it has zoned the position of Senate president to North East, it should as well zone the position of the deputy senate president to South East so that I don’t go to contest out of zone. I can contest with whoever comes from the South East or the caucus of the South East can go back and decide who it wants within the South East (APC).
“I am pleading with the leaders of the National Working Committee and other leaders; let us not divide this party. All of us are loyal to the country. We are loyal to the constitution. We are also loyal to our party. I want that loyalty to continue so that none of us will deviate from what the party said.
“I am not going to challenge the party, but I want the party to do the right thing. I have the capacity to go on the floor of the House, contest and win. It is this people here that will vote and they are our friends. But I want the party to do the right thing.”
The former Abia governor dismissed Kabiru Gaya’s statement that the North West should produce the deputy senate president, arguing that it did not reflect the sentiments of majority of Nigerians.
“You know, he is a senior governor. That is his view. It is not a view that represents the views and understanding of the country. He is a man I respect a lot, but his view does not represent the diversity of the country.
“Even if you take the president, vice president, Speaker, Senate President to one part of the country, you have not solved the problem of the country.
“The diversity of the country is its beauty. I will like APC as a party to look at diversity. Diversity is our strength. Diversity is very important,” Kalu stated.
He is optimistic of a cordial relationship between the Executive and the Legislature in the ninth Assembly.
He assured that some of them (lawmakers), who are the friends of President Muhammadu Buhari, in and out of politics, would work assiduously to ensure that there is a harmonious working relationship between the two arms of government in the interest of the country.