…Postponement: Kalu thanks Buhari, Buni for consideration of request

Chief Whip of the senate, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari and Chairman, Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Mai Mala Buni, for the postponement of the party’s national convention earlier scheduled for February 26.

Kalu, who recently returned from Germany, said the decision was in tandem with his earlier request to the president and National Caretaker Chairman of the party.  He noted that getting it right was more important than just holding a convention for the sake of it. 

“For a stronger and a near perfect APC, it is important that the party seizes the opportunity this postponement has created to correct any abnormally in the party,” he said

Kalu, former Abia State governor, emphasised that his earlier call for the postponement of the convention was based on the realities that would hit the party should the convention hold unprepared .

“I was misunderstood in some quarters when I pleaded with the party to consider postponement of the convention. I am glad the President and Caretaker Chairman has considered the request because of it’s necessity,” he said

On December 16, 2021, Kalu had in his letter to Governor Mai Mala Buni, warned that holding the APC convention in February without sorting out minor disagreements that arose during the congress could lead to implosion.

He also, in the letter, appealed for the conduct of presidential primaries and election of National Working Committee (NWC) of the party same day.

According to him, some states are embroiled in crisis with multiple factions arising from the congress.

Excerpts of the letter read: “I must also commend your peaceful disposition and sense of commitment to the growth of our party which also saw very peaceful congresses across the states. However, it is pertinent to note that, some states are embroiled in crisis with multiple factions. These factions are not new to our politics, especially since the return of democracy in 1999. However, it is important to put into consideration, the consequences of these factions during and after elections. It is important to remind you that the ignoble creation of factions in our party in Rivers and Zamfara states cost the party the governorship elections in those states.”