Former chief of staff to Abia State governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the last by-election for Aba North and Aba South Federal Constituency, Mascot Uzor Kalu, is under pressure to dump the ruling party.
Source revealed that Kalu, younger brother to the Senate Chief Whip, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, was holding discussions with an undisclosed political party, whose leadership reached out to him.
In a veiled confirmation of the development, Kalu’s political ally, Nelson Umezie, following overtures from other parties, said his friend has been under pressure.
“There is a possibility of Mascot defecting to a new party to pursue his future goals. This movement is inevitable considering the poor treatment the APC has given him.”
He said since Kalu joined the APC in 2014 with his mother, Eunice, he has committed his resources and energy in building and sustaining it but gets no appreciation.
Umezie said: “Kalu is a loyal and serious party man, who has worked for the success of the party, but it seems some people are bent in not allowing any reward come to him. The party has failed to distinguish Mascot from his elder brother, Orji Uzor Kalu, who has his life and dream to pursue and himself who has his family, life, goals, aspirations to pursue. The party has refused to recognise him despite all his huge contributions.
“The excuse has been that his senior brother is a principal officer in the Senate. In other words, they don’t need him in the party; they probably need only his elder brother
“When you are working for a party and the party is not working for you, the best is to go to where your efforts will be appreciated.”
Refusing to disclose the political party wooing Kalu, he said: “I don’t want to say Party B and it ends up in Party A or C. The most important thing is that his supporters and followers in Abia are already waiting for him to blow the whistle for them to follow.”