A business mogul and former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, has said his eventual change of mind to contest Abia North seat in the Senate is borne out of his people’s wish to see him at the higher legislative chamber from this year.
Kalu disclosed this at a media interactive session yesterday at his Igbere country home in Abia State.
According to him, he had earlier stepped out of the race he planned to run on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but explained that before his arrival from an overseas trip, one of his aides had perfected his papers for the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).
He said besides, the fact that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had said it was too late to remove his name from the list of the contestants and that the preference the elders and stakeholders had for him to represent them at the Senate was too strong to be wished away.
“Two weeks ago, traditional rulers, students and other stakeholders came to me in Abuja on a visit.
“Their mission was to ask me to go for Senate. They said they want me there and that some people parading themselves cannot do the job. That they are just thinking about their selfish interests and not the interest of the people. I told them I would think about it.
“Interestingly, committee of professors from different universities and top businessmen from this area, some of who you met here, even added that I don’t need to spend one kobo for the campaign and that they will foot the campaign bills.
“They just want me to agree to represent them at the Senate knowing my ability to give them robust and effective representation,” Kalu said, adding: “With these developments, it seems we are running for Senate on the PPA platform.”
On how he would have time for the job, Kalu said: “I was a governor in this state for eight years and I stayed here to do the job. Politics of today requires global businessmen because their experience is what will make things to work out positively and effectively.”
On his mission in the National Assembly, Kalu paused momentarily before admitting that, “it will be a tug of war,” explaining that, someone like him would be in the minority.
“I thank God, however, that I have the capacity to lobby others and capability to turn things around. I believe I will be able to do a lot in support of good policies that will enhance progress, growth and development of Nigeria,” he submitted.
On his choice of PPA, Kalu said: “PPA and PDP are one and the same. PDP is the elder brother of PPA which means I have never left the PDP.”
According to him, both parties had great alliance and the alliance had been there to promote the ideal of the Federal Government, saying it would work “here in Abia State.”
The PPA senatorial candidate went down memory lane that four Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) were positioned at his gate to prevent him from going out to vote during his first attempt towards the Senate, warning: “Nobody dares try such a thing this time.”
His words: “It will not happen again. We are ready for them. We are not going to take it from anybody. Anybody, I repeat. If anybody tries it, our people will burn down this state. The governor cannot even try it. I have left him for too long.
“This is the last opportunity I am giving him in his life. I kept quiet because of President Goodluck Jonathan. I don’t want crisis for him here. This governor is incompetent, unreasonable and a liar.”
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