Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

Ahead of the June 11 inauguration of the National Assembly, a pan-Nigerian group, National Alliance For Equity and Justice, on Friday, charged the  All Progressives Congress (APC), senators-elect and other stakeholders to  support the former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu to emerge as the Deputy Senate President, in the interest of equity and fair play.

The group in a statement jointly signed by Mazi Chukwuemeka Nwosu,  Hon Akinola Akinyemi and Alhaji Hassan Jubril, said electing Kalu, who is the senator-elect for Abia North,  as Deputy Senate President would reflect balance and federal character in the distribution of principal officers in the 9th Assembly.

It noted that the former Abia governor has worked hard to popularise the APC in the South East since he joined the party, as well as worked for the success of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential poll.

According to the group, electing Kalu as Deputy Senate President, would go a long way to entrench the ruling party in the South East geopolitical zone, ahead of the 2023 polls, as the former commands large followership within and outside the zone.

Besides, it noted that Kalu as Deputy Senate President would add value to the National Assembly and the Buhari administration.

“Uzor-Kalu is a detribalised Nigerian leader, a fact reflected in the number of friends he has across Nigeria and beyond, the different chieftaincy titles he was found worthy to be bestowed upon across the  four corners of Nigeria.  He is patriotic, outspoken and a goal getter with experience and capacity to engender consensus among contending interests, hence, he will be an asset to the 9th Senate, the APC, to President Muhammadu Buhari,” the group said.