Abia State former governor and current Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has been disowned by his constituents for advocating Muslim-Muslim ticket for the All Progressives Congress’ presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the 2023 presidential election.
Recall that Kalu, representing Abia North at the Senate, had urged APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, a Muslim faithful to pick a fellow Muslim as his running mate if he intends to become the next president.
Kalu had insisted that Tinubu, a minority Muslim from the South-West would not win the 2023 election if he fails to choose a minority Christian from the North as his running mate.
His constituents, responding to this, described the remarks by the Senate Chief Whip as “shameful and disappointing”, adding that he only spoke for himself and his pocket.
According to the paramount traditional ruler of Abiriba ancient kingdom, HRM Eze Kalu Kalu Ogbu (Enachoken), if Kalu truly made such a remark, “it is strange, unbelievable and illogical”.
He said that the religious plurality of Nigeria did not favour a joint ticket of the same religion, hence, anybody suggesting otherwise should be disregarded.
“The idea is strange. I don’t think he made such an advocacy but if he did, he didn’t speak for Abia North, he didn’t speak for Ndigbo because such a comment doesn’t make sense at all. It’s very inappropriate,” he said.
According to Vanguard, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abia North, Dr Isaac Nkole, also commenting on the matter said that Kalu had since lost political steam and was only trying to warm his way to Tinubu’s camp after opposing his presidential ambition.
Nkole said, “It is very embarrassing for a supposed Senator in Kalu’s ranking to advocate Muslim/Muslim or even Christian/Christian ticket in a religious sensitive and plural state like Nigeria.”
According to him, “Religion and ethnicity have unfortunately remained Nigeria’s fault lines which must not be dismissed with a wave of the hand in the interest of peace and national cohesion.”
He said that “no amount of hypocritical remarks” would make Tinubu and his camp forget that he supported and worked for Ahmed Lawan against Tinubu before and during the APC presidential primary.
Dismissing Kalu as “a disappointment and enemy to the Abia North, Christianity and Ndigbo,” he vowed that “the 2019 mistake” that brought Kalu to power would never be repeated.
He said, ”Abia North will never again be represented by a political rolling stone ready to sell our future for a pot of porridge. The other time somebody said he brought RUGA to Lokpanta which is today a source of constant sorrow to the state. Today, somebody is championing Muslim/Muslim ticket. Is this part of lawmaking? How many bills has he sponsored? Must he always be in the news for the wrong reason?
“How did Abia North get to this point? Should Kalu not be ashamed that Tinubu who was governor at the same time with him is today miles ahead of him politically? Should he keep advertising greed and shortsightedness?
“When Tinubu was busy building people, Kalu was building Camp Neya. Both of them were in the presidential race but Kalu suddenly pulled out and began to shout Lawan and Northern presidency even against his fellow Igbo aspirants.
“Today, because he saw that his Lawan has been swept away by the Jagaban force that is why he has become Tinubu’s self-appointed adviser. What is he afraid of? Could that be a smart way of stopping a possible re-opening of his EFCC case by an eventual Tinubu administration?
“At the time he was supporting Lawan, his party was saying that power should shift to the South. How many of his Northern colleagues can do the same for the South the way he is shamelessly doing?”
Vanguard also quoted the former Chairman, Umuahia North Council of Traditional Rulers and the monarch of Oriendu Autonomous community, HRM Eze Philip Ajomuiwe, saying that the opinion of the former governor on the matter was faulty, and an invitation to anarchy.
He asked him to withdraw the position which, according to him, is unbefitting of a Senator like him.
The monarch who described Kalu as a personal friend expressed disappointment over the suggestion, saying he would call him to tell him how he felt.
“I lack adjectives to qualify Senator Kalu for what he said. How can that work in Nigeria? Muslim/Muslim ticket is an invitation to anarchy. We can’t even suggest Christian/Christian ticket. There has to be a balance because Nigeria is highly sensitive to religion.”
