By Raphael Ekpang
Dr. Bashir Lamido, the leader of a Northern Think Tank, Arewa Summit International has called on the President-elect , Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to adopt Kalu as the consensus candidate ahead of the June 13, Senate inauguration.
Lamido said that Nigeria needs a trailblazer like Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to emerge as the 10th Senate President to help stabilise the country.
According him, the combination of the Senate Chief Whip as the Senate President, Kashim Shettima and Ahmed Bola Tinubu as Vice President and President respectively would help save the country from drifting to a divided state.
Lamido in a statement personally signed by him on Friday warned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) not to field a Northern Muslim as the 10th Senate President for peace and national stability.
He also urged other aspirants for the position of the Senate President, especially from the Southeast geopolitical zone to step down and rally round the current Chief Whip of the Senate to emerge unopposed.
Bashir maintained that this was necessary as “the country is in big trouble and only a Senator like Orji Kalu is needed to work with the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Vice, Kassim Shettima to stablise the country.”
“I am Northern Muslim and a passionate Nigerian. We must support the President-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu to succeed as our new president. In doing so, it is important we have a Senate President that understands the country; this is where Senator Orji Uzor Kalu should come in. He should be supported to emerge as the next Senate President to support Tinubu and Shettima for the interest of our dear nation.
“Senator Orji Kalu fits the bill to lead the Senate as its presiding officer in the next dispensation from all material angles. He has the competence, capability and capacity to mobilise, coordinate and provide the much needed leadership that delivers results for effective legislative governance and oversight for the country.
“Senator Orji Kalu understands the needs and aspirations of all regions of the country. He hails from the South-East, Educated in Northern Nigeria city of Maiduguri, Borno state and built his businesses in South West city of Lagos.
“As Governor of Abia state from 1999 to 2007, he had aides from across Nigeria’s ethnic groups. Currently as Senate Whip and Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Abia state, his aides cuts across all ethnic groups and religious divides.
“Senator Kalu is cosmopolitan in outlook; adapts at managing Nigeria’s creative diversity as well as strategic leadership traits that deliver results. He is the committed patriot that we need at this point of our nation’s history. It is important for Senators-elect across the party lines to support, vote and elect Senator Orji Uzor Kalu as the next Senate President, he stated.”
Meanwhile, tye battle for who replaces Ahmad Lawan is getting interesting by the day, but the former governor of Abia State, Kalu is preferred by many.
