The Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s successor will be decided by Nigerians at the polls.
Kalu, who was speaking with journalists on Friday (today) at his Bende country home in Bende local government area of the state, while reacting to the question on the possibility of President Tinubu to hand over power to a successor from the Southeast in 2031, reminded the Igbos of the need of reaching out and solidify their relationship with other parts of the zones in the country, the same way late President Muhammadu Buhari did which helped him to secure victory in other zones of the country.
Kalu who believed that President Tinubu has been able to move Nigeria better than where he met it said “The President is a democrat. It is not in the powers of the President to hand over to anybody. It is in the hands of Nigerians to decide where power goes to.
“This is why I have always ask our people to extend handshake across the Niger. They should embrace other sections of the country.
“They should stop talking down on any other sections of the country. The loudest on the social media are the Igbos. We should relate and partner with one another; that is why national cohesion is all about.
“Now that power is in the Southern political corridor. The man at the helm of affairs is from the southern political corridor, this is the time to solidify. This is the time to shake hands with the southwest firmly so that when the time comes that we need a handshake, they will reciprocate.
“But of we stay here and throw stones morning and night, they are watching. When it is your time, they will partner with those who partnered with them. It is all about partnership.
“Who are we partnering with now as Igbos. Igbos alone cannot make themselves President.
“Late President Muhammadu Buhari tired it many times, he couldn’t do it. It became possible when he shook hands with other regions. Can we forget the past and begin to reach out?
“We (Igbos) do business with every parts of Nigeria. We are nationalistic. We live in every part of the country. But can we partner with other parts of the country politically? Can we have the courage to embrace others in politics the same way we embrace other zones in business?
“If we do that, that will be the time, the political development of the southeast will return to what it used to be like in the days of Azikiwe’s and all the people who played major roles in our political spheres.
“If the President comes back and is done with his device in 2031, any person who is going to replace him will be decided by Nigerians.”
On creation of an additional state in the southeast, Kalu who disclosed that the national assembly has agreed for the creation of another state in the southeast, but he added that the House of Representatives and the Senate would look at the concerns raised by some of the lawmakers from the South-South with the aim of ensuring fairness.
The Deputy Speaker who used the opportunity to clear fears of Nigerians on the new Tax Law, disclosed that the bold and courageous step taken by the President now gives opportunity for the stabilisation of the country’s economy, addimg that it will help government to make projections.
On his 2027 political interest, Kalu disclosed that his interest is to ensure that he mobilize people of Abia and Southeast to boosting the support of the President and the party in the zone, adding that he has not yet declared interest to run for any political position in 2027.
“Any future political decision is done with the party and the people. It is the electorate that determine my next political move.
“I am racing against time to deliver democratic dividend to the people of Bende Federal Constituency. The party chooses who runs for governor.”
Speaking on why he was asking Governor Alex Otti to join the party, the Bende Federal lawmaker said that the move was driven by friendship, party interest, and a broader political vision for Abia State, stressing that he had not at any time blocked or stopped the incumbent governor of the state from joining the party.
“Even the narrative that I want to block him from coming to APC is not true. If I was self-centered, I would have blocked him, but here I am the one inviting him.
“My call for him to join the APC was borne out of sincerity. What is wrong asking a friend to join APC?
“I felt that there was the need for Gov. Otti to join the APC like other governors of the southeast. I sent him messages and asked him to pray over it.
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“The same way I was asking Gov Otti to join the party is still the same way I Ave been talking to former governor Okezie Ikpeazu to join the party. The same way I urged former governor T.A Orji to join the party. He told me that his son and his wife were there already, but I continued to urge him and today, he is a member of the party.
