Kalu roots for Lawan as APC presidential candidate as PDP settles for Atiku

Former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has said that with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2023 general elections, it is no longer feasible for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to elect a Southerner as its flagbearer.

Kalu said moves by the ruling party to elect its presidential flagbearer from the South instead of North-East where Atiku comes from would spell defeat for the party.

The former Abia State Governor who is the Chief Whip of the Senate representing Abia North Senatorial District called on President Muhammad Buhari to pick Senator Ahmad Lawan from the North East with Alhaji Abubakar as his successor.

Kalu who has won the APC ticket for a second tenure in the Senate in a statement on Sunday said, “Congratulations to the PDP for electing a North Easterner. Nigerians must have seen what I saw yesterday.

“For our party the APC, it is no longer feasible to talk about Southern candidates except the APC wants to go on political retirement.

“I urge the National Chairman of the party and the entire NWC to stamp their feet and zone APC presidential ticket to the North-East.

“President Muhammad Buhari has a right to choose his successor and I call on him to pick Senator Ahmad Lawan as his successor. In every democratic setting, presidents and Governors support and pick their successors.

“I call on President Buhari to pick a successor from the North East and that will be the equity the South East needs. With the North-East, the cycle will be closest to completion of regions producing the president of Nigeria.

“By now, all APC aspirants should drop their ambition and support a North Easterner. Senator Ahmad Lawan is the destination.

“Congratulations to the North East as we look forward to a president of Nigeria from the North East.”