“Why I am no longer in the race for DSP President”-Kalu

Former Governor of Abia State and Senator-elect for Abia North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has dropped his ambition of becoming the Deputy Senate President in the 9^th National Assembly.

Kalu had over the months met with various party stakeholders over his ambition to become Deputy Senate President, a position he said cannot be denied from the people of the Southeast.

But reports however emerged at the weekend that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) wanted Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as the deputy speaker with President Muhammadu Buhari said to have endorsed the move.

This action was said to have cast in doubt the struggle to ensure that the people of the Southeast were included in the scheme of things in the Buhari’s led government.

In series of tweets on his official handle, @OUKtweets, Kalu while stating his reasons to step down his ambition, Kalu in the tweets disclosed that he decided to drop his deputy senate ambition after wide consultations with stakeholders, political associates, friends and colleagues.

Kalu tweeted “I decided to throw my hat into the ring to contest for the position of Deputy Senate President

@NGRSenate. After wide consultations with stakeholders especially my political associates, friends & colleagues (returning senators & senators–elect).

“However, I use this medium to announce my withdrawal from the race in the interest of the APC

@OfficialAPCNg

& Nigeria at large. I contested & won election as a Senator on the platform of the APC

@APCNigeria

& as such,I cannot go against the decision of my party.

“The party, I am optimistic will consider the South East for other principal positions in the Senate

@NGRSenate

& House of Representatives

@HouseNGR

for the sake of national unity. The South East should be ably & well represented at the top hierarchy of the 9th national assembly.

“The 9th national assembly will work harmoniously regardless of party affiliations to ensure that the executive & judiciary arms of government are complemented in a bid to build a prosperous Nigeria. -Dr.Orji Uzor Kalu mon Senator(elect)Abia-North.

@OfficialAPCNg

@iamkennethcole”