Senator Orji Kalu Pulls Out of 2023 Presidential Race, Gives Reason, Reveals New Position He's Contesting For
- In a new twist, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has announced he will no longer vie for the presidential ticket of the ruling APC
- The former governor of Abia state said he took the decision following the APC's refusal to zone the presidency, particular to the southeast
- The Abia North senator said he has picked the ruling APC's form to contest for a return to the Senate in the next general elections
FCT, Abuja - Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has announced his withdrawal from the race.
In a statement sighted by Legit.ng on Monday, May 9, Kalu said his decision was informed by the fact that the All Progressives Congress (APC), his party, has refused to zone the presidency, particularly to the southeast zone where he hails from.
Source: Facebook
The former governor of Abia state also announced that he has picked the form to run for Abia North Senatorial zone election.
2023 presidency: Kalu congratulates Lawan
Senator Kalu also congratulated the president of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who also joined the presidential race.
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The Chief Whip of the Senate said he would back Lawan to become president in 2023 because he is from the northeast, another geopolitical zone that is yet to produce president since 1999.
Read the full statement below:
"I congratulate my friend, former roommate and boss , Senator Ahmad Lawan as he picks form to run for President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under our great party , All Progressives Congress (APC) . I am most glad because he is from the North East , the only zone alongside South East that is yet to produce President of Nigeria.
"I have always maintained an unambiguous stand that for justice , equity and fairness in our country, the next president of Nigeria after President Muhammadu Buhari should come from the South East or the North East .
"I have also told Nigerians that I would only run for president if the two major political parties (APC and PDP) zone their tickets to the South East . That is why I was disappointed with our southern brothers who are talking about fairness and equity but has zero tolerance for the same fairness and equity in the South .
"In the absence of a South Easterner being president of Nigeria in 2023 , I have my full support for a North Easterner . This is because it would be the closest to the equity , fairness and Justice everyone is talking about . It further means that the justice is on its way to the South East .
"I thank those who said they have picked presidential form for me because they meant well for Nigerians .
"However, since there is no zoning and the contest is open to all Nigerians , I officially withdraw from presidential contest in 2023. I have also picked ticket to run for Abia North Senatorial zone and to complete the good work I started in Abia North .
"I urge all my friends , allies and supporters in the APC to toe the line of justice by supporting Senator Ahmad Lawan , a North Easterner for the presidential ticket of the APC."
2023: Nigerians besiege NNPC Towers, present N100m nomination forms to Sylva
In a related development, the Northern Solidarity Group on Monday, May 9, besieged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) towers in Abuja to ask the minister of state for petroleum, Timipre Sylva, to contest the presidential ticket of the ruling APC.
The group also presented the expression of interest and nomination forms of the party to the minister.
Speaking after picking the forms, the spokesman of the group, Suleiman Abdullahi, said the minister has a better chance of winning both the APC ticket and the 2023 presidential contest.
Source: Legit.ng
