Abia North Senator-elect, Orji Kalu, has insisted that he will contest for the seat of Deputy Senate President, claiming that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) did not adopt Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as its candidate for the position.
DAILY POST reported on Monday, that the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Lanre Onilu, issued a statement confirming that the NWC has formally adopted Omo-Agege as the party’s candidate for the position of Deputy Senate President.
Kalu, however, insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari only adopted candidacies of the duo of Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, for the positions of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.
“Ahead of tomorrow’s inauguration of the 9th national assembly and election of principal officers, politicians have started deploying different antics to satisfy their ambitions.
“One of such is a statement credited to National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Lanre Onilu claiming that President Muhammadu Buhari and the NWC of the party have formally adopted Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as the party’s candidate for the position of Deputy Senate President.
“I hold the President in high esteem as well as the National Chairman of our great party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and other members of the NWC and as such, I will not disobey any formal pronouncement by them.
“However, I am still in the race to become Deputy Senate President because the President and the NWC have not adopted any candidate and as such the contest is open to all members of the party, who have the capability.
“I have the political dexterity, leadership qualities and goodwill to complement the efforts of the Senate President in actualizing the objectives of the legislature in support the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in taking Nigeria to greater heights.
“Leadership positions in the 9th Senate should be given to people who have the will to support the agenda of the APC while not deviating from the ideals of democracy.
“As I continue to mobilize support for the position of Deputy Senate President, I commend the President, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and other stakeholders of the party for their support.
“Come tomorrow by the special grace of God and to the admiration of APC members and Nigerians at large, I will emerge as Deputy Senate President in the 9th national assembly,” Kalu said in a statement by his media office on Monday and signed by Ken Cole.
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