By Miftaudeen Raji
The Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Kalu, said Nigerians are not ready for a President of the South-East extraction.
Kalu stated this while speaking on Channels Television’s programme, “The 2023 Verdict” on Wednesday.
According to Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, the February 25 presidential election is not the best outing for the Igbo people, because the people of the South-East need the support of five other regions for one of their own to be President.
He said, “It is not the best outing for us (Igbo people) because for you to become the President of Nigeria, you need other regions.”
One of the contestants of Igbo extractions among the 18 presidential candidates for the Saturday election is Labour Party’s Peter Obi.
Kalu, a senatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC for Abia North Senatorial District had dismissed the chances of Obi.
He said, “I’m well-experienced; I ran for President in 2007 and I’m not sure Nigerians are yet ready for a President of Igbo extraction. I’m not sure because I have tried to nose around that. We have five other regions to come up with and I am not sure.
According to Kalu, the people of the South-East are the best professionals but not the best politicians.
He said, “We do politics with emotions and I want Igbos to stop doing politics with emotions; I want Igbos to do practical politics.”
Kalu expressed confidence that APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will win in Abia State and the South-East zone.
‘PDP G5 govs will work for Tinubu’
Meanwhile, Kalu further said five aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, popular as the G5/Integrity Group will work for Tinubu’s presidency.
Recall that the G5 comprised of Governor Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
The aggrieved PDP governors have been at war with the PDP, asking that the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu steps down for a southern replacement as a precondition to support PDP flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar.
But, while the PDP governors have not publicly announced their preferred candidate, Ortom has declared his support for Obi.
However, Kalu said he doesn’t believe Ortom, insisting that the G5 will work for Tinubu.
The APC lawmaker said, “The G5 came together and they are working together and I don’t even believe the governor of Benue State, possibly;
“…he just wants to use that (endorsement) to win an election because the G5, from inside sources, have made up their minds that they are not going to work for any other person than Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the APC.”