Influential APC Southeast Chieftain Speaks on Presidential Ambition, Tinubu's Presidency
- Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has said he personally believes that the south-east deserved a shot at the presidency
- Kalu explained that he was fully committed to supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid, in line with his party, the APC’s decision
- Kalu stated that he could be president of Nigeria at any age if he is alive and in good health
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics, elections, and governance in Nigeria.
FCT, Abuja - Orji Uzor Kalu, senator representing Abia north, has stated that he still has the ambition of becoming Nigeria's president in the future.
Speaking in an interview with Channels TV on Wednesday night, October 8, monitored by Legit.ng, Kalu adding that he would contest if President Bola Tinubu decides not to contest for a second term in the 2027 election.
Source: Facebook
Kalu defers presidential ambition
Kalu said:
“I still have ambition and I am competent to be president of Nigeria, but not in 2027. I will support President Tinubu in 2027. I’m 65, and if I’m healthy in 12 years, why not? President Donald Trump is 79.”
He added:
“The question is not age. The question is competency. What is in my brain that I need to deliver. It’s not when or where. It’s rather how ready I am."
The video interview can be watched below:
Legit.ng reports that Kalu was the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) presidential candidate in the 2007 general election.
In the build-up to the 2023 election, he was also an aspirant, but withdrew from presidential race in 2022 and threw his weight behind the senate president at the time, Ahmad Lawan. However, Tinubu won the presidential primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He polled 1,271 votes to defeat 13 other presidential hopefuls in the election.
Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation and top contender, polled 316 votes while Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo got 235 votes.
Lawan, the ”consensus candidate” of Abdullahi Adamu, then-APC national chairman and General Muhammadu Buhari, polled 152 votes.
Read more on Orji Uzor Kalu:
- Drama as Orji Kalu senator storms senate with Tinubu's campaign cloth, photos trend
- “Why I grounded my private jet,” Senator Orji Kalu opens up
- Senator Orji Uzor Kalu mentions opposition governor 'codedly' supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Kalu calls for cooperation with Tinubu
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Senator Kalu advised Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara to mend his political differences with President Tinubu in the interest of the people of the state.
Kalu warned that the people of Zamfara could lose out on major development if the governor failed to play political economics with the president.
Kalu, a chieftain of the APC said he was not advising the governor to dump his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and join the APC but he should maintain a good relationship with President Tinubu who is 'an APC power broker'.
Source: Legit.ng
