9 APC Presidential Aspirants Set to Withdraw from Race, Orji Kalu Says, Reveals Who They Will Support
- Ahead of the APC presidential primaries, Senator Orji Kalu said nine presidential hopefuls will drop their ambition
- Kalu, the chief whip of the Senate, said the aspirants whose names he did not reveals will be backing Senate president Ibrahim Lawan
- The former governor of Abia state had earlier withdrawn from the presidential race and backed Lawan to succeed President Buhari in 2023
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FCT, Abuja - Senator Orji Kalu, chief whip of the senate, says nine presidential aspirants from the All Progressives Congress (APC) are set to withdraw from the race.
The former governor of Abia state said the aspirants whose names he did not mention will back Senate President Ahmad Lawan's presidential bid after withdrawing, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.
Source: Facebook
Legit.ng recalls that Kalu on Monday, May 9, withdrew from the 2023 presidential race and endorsed Lawan.
The senate chief whip said he took the decision because there is “no zoning” in the APC and the contest has been thrown open to all aspirants.
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Issue of APC presidential candidate will be settled before primaries - Kalu
Meanwhile, Senator Kalu said "the issue of the APC presidential candidate will be settled even before the primaries."
“Lawan’s candidature will rock like hurricane,” Kalu said.
“As I am talking to you, about nine presidential aspirants from our party have intimated me of their plans to drop their presidential ambition to support Ahmad Lawan.
“Does that not signify victory before the election? Lawan’s candidature will rock like hurricane.
“Lawan is from the north-east and has similar sympathy with the south-east that is yet to produce a president.
“I have repeated my reasons for dropping my ambition for Lawan severally and I am sure Nigerians are aware already.
“We are also expecting an influential presidential aspirant from the opposition to join the APC.
“So, you can see the party is very progressive and properly ready for Lawan’s emergence.”
Why INEC should not approve postponement of primaries, reveals Kalu
On the call for postponement of primary elections by some political parties, Kalu said he does not expect the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to listen to them.
He said the parties were duly informed and should have prepared well as mandated by the electoral body.
“Extension of the dates will only support irresponsibility. Nigerians find it difficult to keep to time and appointments and that is why they would always seek for extra time,” Kalu said.
“I support INEC to stick to their timetable otherwise we will be living with postponement after postponement. Such a trend is not healthy for a society and its people.
“We complains of indiscipline but not ready to be practical about the requirements of discipline.
“INEC should discipline any party that fails to meet up, because that is the only way they can take their jobs seriously.”
2023: Buni, Uzodinma submit Senate president Lawan’s nomination forms to APC
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Governors Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state and Hope Uzodinma of Imo on Friday, May 13, led some senators to submit the presidential nomination forms for the President of the Senate, Lawan.
The forms were submitted at the national secretariat of the ruling APC in Abuja.
The governor of Imo state said serving and non-serving senators would pitch their tents behind the Senate President, in the race for president come 2023.
Source: Legit.ng
