2023: It’s Payback Time For Kalu, North-East Reacts To Presidency Ambition

As the wind of 2023 election blows harder, some groups in the North East have reiterated their unrelenting support for the Chief Whip of the Senate, a presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

According to the group, it is high time they reciprocated Senator Kalu’s immense magnanimity and support towards the North East region in the area of sports, social endeavours, business and a lot more.

“For us in the North East, it’s a payback time considering the support Senator Kalu provided for the Buhari Presidency and what he did to our region in terms of support for the people especially the youths in sports and other social endeavours, business and other philanthropic gestures,”

This is even as Senator Uzor Kalu’s quest for the Presidency in 2023 got a boost as a network of various groups comprising political pressure groups, youth groups, a network of professionals, students and women groups have merged to form the Uzor Kalu Support Group (UKSUG) in the North East.

The group said Senator Kalu who is the Chief Whip of the Senate has wide contact across the country to run for the 2023 presidency.

The Coordinator of UKSUG in the North East, Alhaji Mohammed Yusuf Ajiji who disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen in Kaduna, said the headquarters of UKSUG will be located in Damaturu, Yobe State.

Ajiji said having conducted a survey across the political landscape, UKSUG believes that Senator Kalu has the professional and business acumen required to consolidate on the gains so far recorded by Buhari Administration.

“We have conducted a survey across the country using different structures and the results are all pointing towards Senator Uzor Kalu as a man with wide contacts across the country, who has the wherewithal to promote unity, peace and development post-Buhari era. His performance as the Governor of Abia State was legendary and he has proven time and again that he has the capacity to manage men and resources”. Ajiji said.

Alhaji Ajiji said what Nigeria requires at the moment is a leader, who knows Nigeria and its diverse cultures and people through interaction, trade and politics, adding that Senator Uzor Kalu is a PAN-Nigeria to the core, who can guarantee the rights of minorities and majorities alike.

“For us in the North East, Senator Uzor Kalu is well known to us as a student leader, a philanthropist, a businessman and a politician to the core and when opportunities for the leadership of Nigeria present themselves in 2023 we have marshalled out our plans for mass mobilization towards his political aspiration especially when he declares his intention to vie for the presidency of Nigeria,” he said.

The Coordinator said as the Chief Whip of the Senate, Uzor Kalu is the highest-ranking South Easterner holding a political office in this dispensation and when the APC eventually zones its presidential ticket to the South East in the interest of equity and fair play, Senator Uzor Kalu should be given the Right of First Refusal.

“From the available record, Abia North Senatorial District, where Orji Uzor Kalu holds sway, is the only zone in the South East and the South-South that gave President Buhari 68% votes in 2019. He deserves recognition and support from us in the North East for this uncommon accomplishment.

“We have articulated plans to hold town hall meetings, public lectures in higher institutions, media appearances, production and airing of both radio and television jingles, community mobilization, small group discussions, advocacy to religious and community leaders, women group and youths to promote the candidacy of Senator Uzor Kalu when he eventually declares for the presidency.

“We will also reach out to other organisations of like minds to ensure an expanded structure is formed across the country for the promotion of the Uzor Kalu candidacy,” he said.

Source: Vanguard