In a recent interview Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu granted to ARISE, the Forbes rated Billionaire and Chief Whip of the Senate, emphasized that neither he nor Tinubu owns the APC, as the APC is owned by Nigerians. He insisted that until the party, APC, zones the 2023 presidency, there is absolutely no need talking about contesting for the presidency.
Sen. Kalu said if he decides to contest the coveted seat of the President, he would never snub Pres. Muhammadu Buhari, referring to the President as the leader of the party. In his words, “you cannot snub a man that sits at the right hand of the chair”.
“If I tell you I want to run for president and the party does not zone it to my region it wouldn’t look nice.”
He identified the North-East and the South-East, as regions in Nigeria’s geopolitical structure that have never produced the Nigerian president. He maintained that it is not reasonable to say that he wants to run for president, as the APC does not belong to anybody, but belongs to all Nigerians who will decide where the presidential candidate should come from. He said he is committed to whatever he puts his heart to do, and wouldn’t want to draw the dagger and retreat thereafter.
On the charges being peddled against him by the EFCC, Sen. Kalu held that there are no charges around him, but blamed the press for being behind such tales. He however maintained that it would amount to subjudice to talk about issues that were already before a Nigerian court of competent jurisdiction. In the same vein, he reminded that before the advent of the 1999 elections that ushered in Pres. Olusegun Obasanjo, he was already a wealthy businessman with chains of businesses across Nigeria, and wondered where it became possible that he would defraud any institution or state of any monies.
He reiterated that his funds were largely part of the foundations that sustained the PDP. He went further to blame unscrupulous individuals who were hell-bent on ensuring that he does not become the President of Nigeria, out of sheer jealousy. Such individuals he insisted were also eyeing the presidency and have concluded that Sen. Kalu is a threat to their political ambitions. He maintained that though these persons wish to see him remain in prison, it was still God’s will that he was imprisoned.
Sen. Kalu said that he has proved to be a law abiding Nigerian, with the competency to stand trial, while suggesting that people should be tested in there obedience to the rule of law as he has shown.
On what would be the priorities of his presidency; he recapped that Nigerians were not going into Aba as an aftermath of the decayed security infrastructure, until he became the governor of Abia State.
During and after his tenure as Governor of Abia State, Aba became the cynosure of businessmen across Nigeria, significantly due to his transformational efforts in repositioning the commercial rich city, across security and infrastructure. Sen. Kalu therefore listed his first priority, as president will be to give Nigerians freedom from bandits and criminalities in all parts of Nigeria.
His first vision would be to fix the security of lives and property, because Nigerians want and deserve freedom. He pointed out that in Anambra State he also instituted a security roadmap as his wife was from Anambra State.
Secondly, he argued that as president of Nigeria, he would restore Nigerians confidence in there country to the extent that they would be proud to identify themselves as Nigerians anywhere they go around the world.
Thirdly, Sen. Kalu said that as president, he ensure that Nigeria goes to the commercialized electricity, and return Nigeria to 24 hour electricity cycle, because he believes that once electricity is solved, we will have every other thing in Nigeria. On the issue of economy Sen.
Kalu said, “I will create economic miracle for Nigerians. I will ensure that economy and security will be our primary focus”. When asked about the issues of restructuring, he maintained that the country can only be restructured when the country is safe, hunger has been solved and the confidence of Nigerians in there country restored. He also posited that there are too many loads on the hands of the constitution.
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Source: AfricanPosts