Chief Whip of the Senate, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, has once again dismissed insinuation in the South East that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is a northern and Islamic party.
Kalu, who represents Abia North spoke weekend at Itim Edda, Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State during the burial of Pa Samuel Nnachi, father of senator representing Ebonyi South, Chief Michieal Ama Nnachi, said the tag is nothing but mere propaganda, noting that as a Catholic and committed Christian, he would not have been a member if it had anything to do with Islam.
The former Abia governor explained that it was a party for Nigerians of all faiths and called on the people of the South East zone not to listen to distractive propaganda but to continue to support the party, assuring that it would end the political marginalisation of the zone in 2023.
“APC is not a northern party. I need to emphasise this again; APC is a party for all Nigerians. I am a Nigeria and also a Catholic; a committed Christian. So, there is no way APC would have been an Islamic party. It is not true because I am committed to my own faith. I have no regret being a Christian. And this party can surprise Nigerians and the people of the South East in 2023. I want us to continue to support APC. In Abia State, everybody is joining APC. We’re not leaving anyone behind; we’re mopping up everybody.”
Chief Kalu appealed to Nigerians not to misunderstand the peaceful disposition of the senate and indeed the National Assembly as an act of compromise, stressing that the upper legislative chamber had in the past disagreed with the president on certain issues but without making noise about it.
“There are many things the president has brought to the senate but we rejected them without making noise about it because we are civilised people. There are many appointments he has made and we returned it and asked him to change them; that we can’t approve them. I want to tell you people today that the Senate president and indeed the Senate is not a stooge to anybody. Thankfully, President Buhari has also always acted democratically because anyone we rejected, he never quarrelled with us. He would always tell us to give him time to change or replace the one we rejected.’’
He restated the resolve of the APC, Abia State chapter to participate in the forthcoming council election in the state. This is even as he warned that the party would not accept any form of rigging.
The former governor restated the party’s position at the home of Senator Chris Adighije at Olokoro in Umuahia South Local Government during an expanded caucus meeting of the party,
He warned the chairman of Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), Prof. Mkpa Agu Mkpa, to desist from engaging in any act that would truncate the wishes of Abians in the conduct of the December council poll.
Kalu said what APC is demanding from ABSIEC was to allow for a participatory process and election devoid of fraud, saying, “we are prepared for the December 18 local government election in Abia State.”
He said the demand of APC was that it must know who the electoral officers across the 17 local governments are, stressing that the party does not want any trouble.
“Let the beloved governor of our state and the chairman of his electoral commission put things in order to make sure things go on smoothly. All those people saying the results will be written in their homes, that time has come and gone. APC in the state has resolved not to take that. Local government chairmanship candidates must work hard to earn their victory.”
Kalu commended Chief Marc Wabara, Dr. Alex Otti, Friday Nwosu, Nyerere Anyim, Nkechi Nwogu, Nkeiruka Oneyejeocha, Chief Chekwas Okorie and other leaders of the party in the state for their steadfastness in seeing for the growth of the party. (Daily Sun)
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