Former Abia state governor and current chief whip of the senate, Orji Uzor Kalu has asked the Igbos to make amends with President Muhammadu Buhari to attract more developmental projects to the south-east.
Kalu said supporting Buhari will bring more federal projects to the region and that Abia north senatorial district, his zone, is the only zone in the south-east and south-south that gave Buhari 68 percent votes in 2019 elections, and because of that Buhari has ‘shown a lot of love to us’.
“The relationship with Abia north as a constituency is very cordial and the president has shown a lot of love to us and has remembered us with what we voted for, so we are excited,” Kalu said to NAN.“Abia north is the senatorial district that gave the president the highest votes both in the south-south and south-east, we are number one and nobody is challenging us.“ So, when people say we don’t like Buhari we are not part of it; we have always been in good times with him. We gave him doctorate degree in our university in 2003 (Abia State University) and we gave him chieftaincy title in Igbere (Orji Kalu’s home town} in 2004.“We are excited to have other people in our area, so Nigerian politicians should remove hatred.“I encourage the Igbos to work with President Buhari to find a way to make amends and remove sentiments and work with the president so that in the remaining two years he can do more things for us before he leaves office.
Kalu also said credibility, honesty and the capacity has endeared him to many northerners who want him to contest in 2023 for president.
“What is responsible for that, is that I have known most of the presidents from the north for a long time, and I have had deep relationships, and am not sure I have disappointed in any of these relations,” he said.
“And I have also known many northerners, and I have had so many businesses with them, I had to do politics with them and in terms of business, I am not sure I have disappointed anybody in terms of buying and selling.
“They find me worthy because they know whatever I say, I will do, and whatever I say I will not do, I will not do it.
“The northerners find out that I am sincere to them, and they are sincere to me.“
So, for people who gave me opportunity to be their brother at no cost when I was nothing, and when I am somebody, is it good to leave them? The answer is no. I cannot leave them because I started with them, and I think staying with them is better than abandoning them, when I feel I am better.”
