The Chairman of Labour Party (LP) in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State, Comrade Kes Akpama has endorsed the current Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu as President of the 10th Senate.
Akpama, a member of the Obi/Datti Presidential Campaign Organization in a chat with newsmen in Calabar, Tuesday morning, described Kalu as the most competent and well prepared candidate to pilot the affairs of the 10th Senate.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu
He stated that among those aspiring for the position of the Senate President, Senator Kalu has the national acceptability, as he has a reach in the North, South West, South-South and South East.
"For us to build the desired nation of unity, peace, justice, economic growth, etc, we must sincerely accommodate every segment of the country and that accommodation should be that the Senate President should be ceded to the South East, and subsequent election of Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu."
He further stated that Kalu's unprecedented life-changing projects executed as senator representing Abia North Senatorial District are also testament to the fact that Kalu as Senate President will superintend over a Senate that will come up with legislation capable of bringing forth tremendous development to Nigeria.
Akpama, said the healing process of a prosperous Nigeria begins with the election of Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu as the President of the 10th Senate.
"We are talking about a man of impeccable character, a detribalised Nigerian and manager of resources. Members of the 10th Senate must not make the mistake of not electing Senator Orji Uzor Kalu as its president. I am appealing to senators-elect including those of our great party (LP) to vote for Kalu as their president. It's going to be a dawn for our dear nation," he said.
The endorsement from the Labour Party Chairman is coming a day after a support group of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Volunteers Group (AVG), backed the former Governor of Abia State to become the next Senate President of the 10th National Assembly.
The Cross River State Coordinator of the group, Hon. George Ichichera Sunday, in a statement signed on Sunday evening in Calabar and made available to newsmen, stated that Kalu is the most qualified among other contenders.
It noted that Kalu, who is the incumbent Senate Chief Whip, apart from being a ranking senator and a principal officer in the Red Chamber, is the most fully prepared for the task ahead, adding that "we need a Senate President that understands the country; a detribalised Nigerian with the charisma and capacity to complement Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kassim Shettima, and that man is Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu."
"Kalu is a respected Igbo leader whose emergence will silence agitations by the South Easterners of being marginalised by the APC.
"Senator Orji Kalu is experienced when compared with other members from other geo-political zones and he has built bridges across the country.
"We are confident that if elected, Orji Kalu's position as Senate President would also go a long way to douse the pockets of misgivings over the emergence of the South West and the North East as the President-elect and Vice President-elect of the country.
"Our conviction goes further that the patriotism and loyalty Senator Orji has displayed over the years to the All Progressives Congress, APC also placed him above any other contestants in this race. We are assuring our party leadership that Orji as the chairman of the National Assembly will bring peaceful relationships and understanding between the executive arm of government and the legislature," the statement reads.
Kalu's mastery of the rules and proceedings of the Senate was also mentioned by the group, which stressed that his election as the next Senate President would ensure no zone in the country is left behind, adding that it "will also arrest insinuation that our President-elect is not a lover of all Christians in the country and that will balance the Muslim-Muslim-Muslim ticket crises in the party."
According to the group, "the best way to win the confidence of the Christians and the South Easterners is for the ruling APC to support the Senate Chief Whip to become the next Senate President so as to calm their nerves."
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