From Uche Usim, Abuja

Former Abia State governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, has said the time is ripe for President Muhammadu Buhari to compensate those who campaigned aggressively for him during the 2015 presidential elections.

Kalu said this on a television programme, Clear View,” on African Independent Television (AIT), on Wednesday.

An All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart in the South East, Kalu  reiterated that only those who worked for Buhari, to realise his presidential ambition deserve a place in his cabinet.

“I will encourage the president to play this game as a politician because, if you have appointed people, let them do the job. Also, appoint those people who followed you during campaigns so that they can have the benefit of where you want to be.

“You cannot just win an election and import people to come and run the same government you want; it is not possible, it is not going to work.

“So, politicians are supposed to run with the mandate they ran around with to win the election. If you go around, you will hear people saying, ‘we won election and the president doesn’t want to bring everybody on board.’ So, the president should, as much as possible, bring people who worked with him on board.

“In fact, if I were in the president’s shoes, all the people who ran the presidential election with me and those who did not run and some leaders deserve to be told, you have one minister, go and appoint him and bring for me. The minister is Buhari’s minister; he is not Orji Kalu’s minister. But, you help to appoint him because you worked for the party. That is the essence of constitutional/business democracy,” the former governor said.

Kalu also spoke on  problems facing Nigeria and linked them with the total collapse of national interest, culture and social behaviour.

On ceaseless calls for restructuring by various groups, Kalu said it should start at the individual level.

“Nigerians should first restructure their minds and attitude. Nigeria will not get anything done if peoples’ minds are not restructured.”

Also speaking at the APC governorship Campaign rally at Ufuma, Orumba North Local Government Area of the state, Kalu challenged Anambra State to seize the opportunity offered them on November 18, to elect a very young and former student leader, Dr. Tony Nwoye, who is the party’s candidate in the poll.

He said that Nwoye, being a young man, “has a cerebral fecundity with prowess in ideas and innovative solutions to take Anambra state to greater height.

“I performed very well as a governor in Abia State because I was young then, and now, the people of Anambra must vote for a young man for the state to move forward.”

He furthered that the Anambra Guber election is another chance for the ‘Igbo Nation’ to join mainstream politics in Nigeria ahead of 2023, which will be their turn to produce the president.

He stated that the Igbo nation stands a lot to benefit from the present APC government than from any other party in Nigeria.

Responding, Hon. Dr. Tony Nwoye thanked Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, who followed him to the campaign rally at Orumba North for his commitment and huge sacrifices towards the realisation of his guber ambition.

Dr. Nwoye equally thanked the people of Orumba North, who came out en mass to receive him and his entourage in the area for showing solidarity and believing in him.

In a closing remark Hon. Bar. Emeka Ibe, the State Chairman of APC in Anambra, who hails from Orumba, assured Dr. Tony Nwoye and party members that Orumba, will deliver APC in the area.

He noted that Gov. Willie Obiano made the victory of APC easy in the area by not carrying a single project in the whole of Orumba in three and half years as governor.

The Chairman declared that Obiano’s failure in Orumba is a blessing in disguise as no sane person from Orumba will vote APGA or for any other party. He further commended the traditional rulers in Orumba for proscribing the governor in the area, noting that their decision was well thought out.

Meanwhile, Dr. Kalu expressed concern over the current health of the former Vice President of Nigeria, Dr. Alex Ekwueme.

In his ‘get well message’ issued through his Media Assistant, Kenneth Udeh, Dr. Kalu expressed optimism that Dr. Ekwueme will soon get back to good health, stating that his wealth of experience and contributions is much needed in the country, especially in this critical democratic dispensation of the nation.

Kalu, who just returned from the Peoples Republic of China also appreciated the support of the Federal Government by approving immediate medical treatment for Dr. Ekwueme.

Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu in the statement said that he is in constant prayers to God over the quick recovery of the elder statesman and former Nigerian Vice President.