ABUJA – The Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu, has said that it is his turn to become the President of the Senate.
This is even as Hon. Cairo Ojougboh said that the best candidate for President of the Senate is Orji Kalu.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, while declaring his intention for the position in the 10th National Assembly, Kalu, who won the just concluded senatorial election in Abia State, pointed out that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) maintained majority in the Senate, having secured 57 seats so far.
He told reporters that it was his turn to become Senate President being a ranking lawmaker and from the South-East, adding that he will work for Nigeria.
He also declared that he would not be comfortable with Muslim Senate presidency in the 10th National Assembly, saying that choosing a Christian Senate President would ensure balance in the polity and give other faith-based religion a sense of belonging.
He said: “If I’m elected Senate President, I will be team Nigeria. I’m going to work for every corner of Nigeria.
“I schooled in Maiduguri, Borno State. I started my business in Lagos and spread it across all state capitals. My first name will be team Nigeria, my last name will be team Nigeria.
“Remember, I’m the only former governor who has never changed phone line more than 20 years ago.
“I’m still willing to maintain that telephone number to answer all my calls. I’m not going to switch off my phones because I’m Senate President.
“I’m hoping that Nigerians will pray for me to become the Senate President because it’s my turn.”
Some APC senators have been lobbying their colleagues to seek their support for the Senate presidency.
Other ranking senators who are eying the position are Sani Musa (Niger), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Barau Jibrin (Kano) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi).
Also speaking in the same vein, Hon. Ojougboh berated the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, for fighting some people he doesn’t want them to become Senate President, adding, “Meanwhile, he is not returning to the Senate and of course you know the cry of the South-East, that they have been marginalised.”
He said that the only way South-East can be assuaged is to give them the position of the Senate President.
“The only way to assuage the South-Easterners is to give them the Senate presidency and they have good candidates there, Orji Kalu, he is there, he will be able to work with Asiwaju properly.
“He will work with Northerners, he will work with major people in Nigeria, and then you have solved a lot of problems, you will be able to take control of issues that may arise from this election.
“Obi is a monumental figure in Nigeria, and you need somebody who can match him and then control the issues in the East.
“I am appealing to Omo- Agege to please stop this his attitude.”
