Orji Kalu, the senator-elect representing Abia North, has said failure of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to hand him to the position of Deputy Senate President, he will lobby his way to be President of the 9th Senate.
Mr Kalu, while addressing newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday, said he will not listen to his party or anybody that will persuade him to step down his ambition of being the next Deputy Senate President.
The former governor of Abia State who asked his party to zone the position of the deputy Senate President at the red chamber to the South East region or have him to contend with said he will not adhere to advise from whatever quarters that will persuade him to step down his want.
“I’m a very loyal party man. The party has zoned the Senate presidency to the North-East and I want to respect the party’s will; but the second position is what we are not going to allow to leave the South-East,” Kalu was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as saying.
“So, as far as I’m concerned, in the South-East, I’m going to run openly on the floor of the House for the position of Deputy Senate President.
“I am not going to listen to the party, neither will I listen to anybody. Nobody that wants to be the Deputy Senate President is more loyal than I am to the party.
“I have suffered for the party and have been called by Nigerians to come out. I want the party to respect the will of every other person and I’m committed to democracy and contesting on the floor of the House.
“So, if justice must prevail, you have to bring the Senate President from the North-East and you bring the Deputy Senate President to the South-East.
“The chairman of the party is from South-South. The President is from North-West. The Vice-President is from South-West and also the Senate President will come from North-East.
“Whether it is Senators Ahmed Lawal or Alli Ndume, this will be decided on the floor of the House.
“So, for me, the tripod in Nigeria is Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa; and we are going to get the deputy Senate president and I will fight on the floor of the House like no other person has fought,” the senator-elect said.
When reminded that principal officers of the red chamber are not for those who are first-timers like him, he argued insisting he was qualified having being a former member of the Federal House of Representatives from 1991 to 1993 and also a two-time governor.
“I know the nook and crannies of how legislators operate. I have dealt with them and I am not a new comer. So, it is going to be impossible to edge me out or edge a whole zone out by claiming we are new comers.
“I have the capacity for lobbying. I am well known in East, West and North. I will run for the Senate President if justice is not done to say, ‘South-East, bring the Deputy Senate President.’
“I can assure you that there are over 56 Senators in my kitty now for either the Senate President or the Deputy Senate President that have already signed to what I believe in.
“It is only just to unveil it on the floor of the House,” Kalu added.
POLITICS TIMES recalls that aside the senator-elect, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and a host of others has indicated interest in becoming the deputy Senate President.
