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Orji Kalu gave Tinubu 300,000, not 8,000 votes —Group replies Adamu Garba

The National support group of the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu has debunked claims by a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Adamu Garba that the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu got only 8,000 votes from Abia State.

The Political pressure group known as “OUK Grassroots Movement” described Garba’s statement as not only erroneous but ignorant clarifying that Kalu, a former Abia Governor and Senate President hopeful contributed over 300,000 votes to the victory of the All Progressive Congress (APC) during the presidential elections.

The group’s national leader, Alhaji Murtala Mohammed in a press release on Tuesday said Garba has no moral standing to advise the party leadership as he had recently dumped the party only to return a month after.

Murtala flayed Garba’s comment on a certain programme of national television where he said that members of the APC in the South-East did not do enough to give them the right to demand that the office of the Senate President should come to the South-East.

He added that Garba spoke out of ignorance about the level of political structure put in place for the Senate Chief Whip by his numerous supporters across the country who wanted the former Abia Governor to run for President ahead of the 2023 election.

He said that the comment was a deliberate attempt to jeopardize Kalu’s chances of emerging as the next Senate President in June, adding that such an attempt will fail.

He called on the leadership of APC and the President-Elect to disregard the comment.

The statement read thus: “Our attention has been drawn to a fake news story flying on social media platforms that Orji Uzor Kalu gave Tinubu only 8000 votes during the Presidential election. That’s an insult to the Distinguished Senator and former Governor who has the capacity to run for President. How can someone who has a national political structure give Tinubu only 8000 votes during the Presidential election? It’s not true

“For the record, we formed a Movement to mobilize support for the former Abia Governor to run for President and we were able to mobilize supporters across all the 36 States of the federation and FCT, Abuja, but when it became clear that our principal is not going to run for President, we collapsed our structure for Tinubu and eventually we gave Tinubu over 300,000 votes

“What I am saying is that the political structure of Orji Uzor Kalu cuts across the whole country because he has followers and supporters all over the 36 States and FCT Abuja, so it is wrong to use votes from Abia State and the Southeast geopolitical zone to judge his contribution to the election of Tinubu as President during February Presidential election.”

Group Faults Garba over Claims Tinubu Got 8,000 Votes in Abia

The national support group of the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu has debunked claims by a former member of the House of Representatives, Adamu Garba that the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, got only 8,000 votes from Abia State.

The political pressure group known as “OUK Grassroots Movement” in a statement in Abuja, described Garba’s statement as not only erroneous but ignorant.

It clarified  that the former Abia governor and Senate President hopeful contributed over 300,000 votes to the victory of the  Tinubu.

The group’s national leader Alhaji Murtala Mohammed in a statement yesterday, said  apart from his error ridden comment, Garba has no moral standing to advise the party leadership as he had recently dumped the party over selfish reasons only to return a month after.

Explaining further, Murtala emphasised that Orji Kalu gave the president-elect over 300,000 votes rallied by the Movement from across Nigeria during the presidential election held on February 25. 2023

Murtala carpeted the ex House of Reps member’s comment on Channels TV programme Politics Today where he said that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-east did not do  enough to give them the right to demand that the office of the Senate President should come to the South-east.

He dismissed the comment as fake news as according to him, Garba spoke out of ignorance because he did not  know anything about the level of political structure put in place for the Senate Chief Whip by his numerous supporters across the country who wanted the former Abia Governor to run for president ahead of the 2023 election.

Murtala further noted that the group through Kalu’s support navigated the grassroots communities across the nation to rally votes for the APC president-elect.

Part of the statement read: “For the record, we formed a Movement to mobilise support for the former Abia governor to run for president and we were able to mobilise supporters across all the 36 States of the federation and FCT.

“When it became clear that our principal is not going to run for President we collapsed our structure for Tinubu and eventually we gave Tinubu over 300,000 votes

“What I am saying is that the political structure of Orji Uzor Kalu cuts across the whole country because he has followers and supporters all over the 36 States and FCT Abuja. So it is wrong to use votes from Abia State and the South-east geopolitical zone to judge his contribution to the election of Tinubu as president during February Presidential election.”

Meanwhile, the Abia North stakeholders under the aegis of Abia North Peace Foundation has said  a former Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Mao Ohuabunwa is using Senator Orji Kalu’s name to seek relevance after losing the 2023 senatorial election.

Ohuabunwa, who represented Abia North Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, yesterday, opposed the possible emergence of Kalu as the Senate President for the 10th National Assembly.

Speaking during an interview with Channels TV, Ohuabunwa said Kalu was not competent.

When asked how he would feel should Kalu emerge as the next Senate President, Ohuabunwa said: “I will feel terrible because I don’t believe that he is competent to represent the Senate.

“He has not won the election so I wouldn’t want a Senate President that will be removed tomorrow.”

But the stakeholders in a statement signed by its Director General, Chief Nnanna Ukaegbu said Ohuabunwa was frustrated, following his rejection by Abia North voters in 2019 and 2023, saying he was only seeking relevance.

They said:  “As stakeholders of Abia North Senatorial District, we must appreciate Nigerians rallying round Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu—a known performer and a detribalised Nigerian with an impeccable character and charisma.

“We commend Nigerians across board for supporting our son and we assure them that he won’t disappoint when he emerges as the President of the 10th Senate.

“Ohuabunwa’s unfortunate interview on Channels Television  is a futile attempt of a frustrated and rejected politician to assess a national figure like Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.

“Nigerians must know that our people voted massively for distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to defeat Ohuabunwa consecutively in 2019 and 2023. Hence, his dimensional frustration and bitterness towards sons and daughters of Abia North Senatorial District.

“We also appreciate Mr Ohuabunwa’s frustration arising from his dimming image after his catastrophic outing in 2019 and 2023 and his struggle to accept realities that he is not on the same lane with the current Chief Whip of the Senate having lost his polling unit, ward and local government area to him.

“We are aware that Ohuabunwa is trying to seek relevance using the name of our dynamic son and senator,  Orji Uzor Kalu. We urge him to do it with decorum or remain silent as we have not forgotten his infamous frying pan sharing era that brought shame to Abia North Senatorial District.”

The group added that it is laughable that Ohuabunwa said Kalu did not win the Abia North Senatorial election, noting that Ohuabunwa lost his polling unit, ward and local government area to Senator Kalu.

“For the umpteenth time, we advise Ohuabunwa to have some shame and accept his unpopularity in Abia North Senatorial District and move on. How can a man who failed in his polling unit, ward and local government area to  Senator Orji Uzor Kalu be talking the way he did on Channels Television?

“We want to urge our President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his vice, Senator Kassim Shettima,  Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Senators-elect, all patriotic sons and daughters of Abia North Senatorial District, Abians and Nigerians in general to remain focused with their eyes on the ball and refuse to be distracted by the attention seeker named Mao Ohuabunwa,” the group said.

Zone Senate Presidency To South East, Group Tells APC

A group which draws its members from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Concerned Nigerians for Sustainable Democracy, has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu to zone the office of the Senate President to South East.

The group urged the APC, the president-elect and other well-meaning Nigerians to ensure that the South East zone gets the Senate president’s office in the 10th Assembly.

At a press conference in Abuja, the convener/coordinator of the group, Dr Amos Gizo, said insecurity will be tackled if the South East gets the office of the Senate president, adding that the people from the region will feel they are carried along.

“At present, as we face the transition, there are negative agitations to truncate the will of the people where Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been voted by the majority votes to lead the nation yet, some other antidemocratic elements are calling for an interim government, military coup and a stoppage of the swearing of a new government on May 29th, 2023.

“We are calling on all well-meaning Nigerians to rise against these elements of anti-democracy and ensure that Democracy thrives and a smooth transition to swear in the President-Elect Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take over in order to minimize the myriad of problems facing the country.

“The South East has two APC governors (Imo and Ebonyi) and one APC governor-elect of Ebonyi. South-South has one APC Governor (Cross-River State) and one Governor Elect in the same Cross River State.

“The South East has produced six APC senators-elect in the 2023 election from five states. South-South has six APC Senators-Elect in 2023 from six states.

“From 1999 till date, South-South has produced Vice-president and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the person of President Goodluck Jonathan, none from South-East

“The South-South has produced two APC National Chairmen – Chief John Oyegun and Adams Oshiomhole, none from South-East.

“The South South has also produced the National Secretary of APC in the person of Senator John Akpan Udodeghe. South South has produced a Senate Majority Leader in the person of Senator Victor Ndoma Egba. Currently, South-South has the deputy Senate President, HE Ovie Omo-agege. South Senate President from 1999 under Obasanjo and nothing more till date.

“Since then, the South-East has not produced any other top leadership under APC. Presently, there is a need to dilute the Peter Obi Phenomenon in the South-East.

“The need to give the South-East a sense of belonging since 2015 till date. APC need to douse the IPOB/ESN and general insecurity in the South-East. South-East is in the majority in terms of population spread across the federation against the South-South. Our position is to strengthen democracy, reduce political tension, reduce security threats and keep Nigeria one,” the group said.

“We are not mindful of the fact that democracy is a game of numbers but we are equally mindful that Nigeria is a cosmopolitan and a multi-religious state that needs special handling in the spirit of keeping the Nigerian state one.

“This world press conference desires all attention and with all seriousness to avoid an avoidable crisis,” the group added.

Zone Senate presidency to South East, APC coalition writes Adamu

The Coalition of APC Support Groups on Wednesday wrote a formal letter to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, urging the ruling party to zone the Senate President office to the South-East in the spirit of fairness.

In the letter, signed by the CASG National Secretary, Mazi Peter Okoroafor,  the coalition expressed optimism that zoning the prestigious office to the region ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly would douse agitation and unrest among their people.

The coalition’s plea came barely three days after the National Vice Chairman of the APC (North-West), Mallam Salihu Lukman, called on northern senators contesting the post to step down to balance the Muslim-Muslim ticket approach of the party.

According to him, it would be insensitive to have a Muslim Senate president after producing a president and his deputy, who share similar faith.

At least, eight senators had indicated an interest in the race.

They include Senators Jibrin Barau (Kano Central), Sani Musa (Niger East), Orji Kalu (Abia North), and GodsWill Akpabio (Akwa-Ibom North-West).

Others are Senators Osita Izunaso (Imo West), Peter Ndubueze (Imo North), Abdul’Aziz Yari (Zamfara West), and Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North), amongst others.

Drumming support for the South-East in Wednesday’s letter to the APC National Working Committee, the coalition urged the Adamu-led NWC to consider adopting the senator-elect for Imo West, Osita Izunaso, as the next Senate President, being the most senior ranking lawmaker from the region.

The letter partly read, “While not objecting to the emotional argument of geo-political consideration, it behoves the NWC to lean on the balance of justice and equity, and insecurity challenges to concede the Senate president position to the South-East geo-political zone, where undoubtedly character and competence is remarkably in abundance.”

Zone Senate Presidency to South East to douse tension, Group tells APC

Concerned Nigerians for Sustainable Democracy from 36 states and FCT have called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the Senate Presidency to the South East to douse tension in the region.

The group also said the President-elect and the Vice President-elect are both Muslims. Hence those agitating that the Senate Presidency be zoned to the North-West should know that the candidates will likely be Muslim, and it does not balance the religion distribution in the country.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Convener/Coordinator of the Group, Dr. Amos Gizo, said if the APC truly wants to rule for 16 years and more, this balance is not negotiable, and it must be taken seriously and be conceded to a Christian from the South East.

“In the first place, the Muslim-Muslim ticket that almost cost the APC the success at the polls has come and gone and Nigeria now has the number 1 and 2, both as Muslims if the nation is to stand those agitating for the Senate President form the North West should step down for the sake of democracy and inclusiveness as all the likely contestants from the North West are Muslims. The political crises this attempt will cause may consume the nation.

“If the APC truly wants to rule for 16 years and even more, this balance is not negotiable, it must be taken seriously and be conceded to a Christian from the South East”, he said.

He said today, South-East has two APC governors (Imo and Ebonyi) and one APC Governor-elect of Ebonyi.

Also, South-South has one APC Governor (Cross-River State) and one Governor-Elect in the same Cross-River State

Therefore “South-East has produced six APC Senators-Elect in 2023 election from five states.

“While South-South has six APC Senators-Elect in 2023 from six States.

“From 1999 till date, South-South has produced Vice-president and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the person of President Goodluck Jonathan, none from South-East

“South-South has produced two APC National Chairmen in the persons of Chief John Oyegun and Adams Oshiomhole, none from South-East

“South-South has also produced the National Secretary of APC in the person of Senator John Akpan Udodeghe.

“South-South have produced Senate Majority Leader in the person of Senator Victor Ndoma Egba

“Currently, South-South has the deputy Senate President, HE Ovie Omeagege. South-East only produced Senate President from 1999 under

“Since then, South-East has not produced any other top leadership under APC. Presently, there is need to dilute the Peter Obi Phenomenon in the South-East”, Gizo noted.

While highlighting some of the reasons why the Senate Presidency should be ceded to the South East, Dr Gizo said there is “need to douse the IPOB/ESN and general insecurity in the South-East.

“South-East is in the majority in terms of population spread across the federation against the South-South.

“Our position is to strengthen democracy, reduce political tension, reduce security threats, and keep Nigeria one

Arewa Group Asks APC To Zone Senate Presidency To South East

According to the group, this move will promote National unity and cohesion.

Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June, 2023, a northern based group, Arewa Young Professionals in Politics has asked the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure that it zones the position of the Senate President to the South Eastern part of the country for the interest of equity, fairness.

The group at a news conference in Kaduna state, notes that zoning the Senate Presidency to the South East irrespective of how the voted in the recent Presidential Election and National Assembly elections, will promote National unity and cohesion.

Convener of the group, Yusuf Amoke also asks the APC leadership to Zone the position of the next Speaker of the House of Representatives to the north west zone as a compensation for the significant role in the victory of the party in the presidential election.

According to him, ensuring that the leadership of the National Assembly projects the nation’s religious diversity will not only foster a sense of belonging for every region and religion, but will also prevent any divisive tension that could undermine the government’s effectiveness.

APC coalition petitions NWC to zone Senate President to South East

A group, All Progressives Congress (APC) Coalition of Support Groups, has petitioned the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to consider zoning the post of Senate President to the South East zone. 

The coalition also urged the NWC to place emphasis on character profile, experience, capacity and competence as yardstick for whoever is to superintend over any arm of government, especially the senate of the 10th Assembly.

They also made a case for commitment to party, loyalty, capacity for performance, and track record of service in party administration for such a canddiate.

The coalition in a statement, yesterday, by Sally William-Chinepu claimed that having been overheated by non-inclusivity in principal elective appointments, the NWC can redress this by taking proper and judicious decision on the South East quest for the Senate presidency.

Said the coalition: “For a smooth democratic process,  there is a need for the protection of nascent democracy which is hinged on the principle of Federal Character as provided in the constitution of Nigeria that recognises and promotes inclusivity of all groups in the country into public offices. By compliance of this provision, the peaceful co-existence and national security is guaranteed which is the bedrock of progress and development of our nation. Without being subservient to primordial argument of state, tribal, religious, regional considerations, emphasis should be placed on character profile, experience, capacity and competence on who should superintend over any arm of government especially the senate of the 10th Assembly.

“For the 10th Assembly, the aforementioned should be the yard stick in determining who becomes the senate president. As members of the NWC, paramount amongst your reasons for preference on who become the senate president, should be commitment to party loyalty to party, capacity for performance and track record of service in party administration.

“While not objecting to the emotional argument of geopolitical consideration, it behooves on the NWC to lean on the balance of justice and equity, and insecurity challenges to concede the senate president position to the South East geo-political zone, where undoubtedly character and competence is remarkably in abundance.

“Only recently, the South East political zone has been overheated by non-inclusivity in principal elective appointments which the NWC can redress by taking proper and judicious decision on the South East Senate Presidency.

“Going forward, while not overstretching our bounds of advice, we are compelled to further micro zone the office of the Senate President to a square peg to a square hole,” the coalition said.