Ex-Govs Yari, Kalu Join Force To Produce Senate President

Barely 13 days to the inauguration of the leadership of the National Assembly, the former governor of Abia state and Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzo Kalu on Tuesday disclosed that he and Abdulaziz Yari have formed an alliance to produce the next Senate President.

This is coming barely three weeks when the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) announced that the party has endorsed the persons of Goodwill Akpabio and Barau Jibrin as President of the Senate and deputy respectively.

Addressing newsmen at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, Kalu disclosed that the Igbo presidency of the Senate is very much alive.

He further said that he has not resigned from the contest of the 10th Assembly Senate President.

Expressing concern over the lingering clamor for the position, Kalu said what happened during Saraki is likely to happen on June 13th, 2023 as he and Senator Yari are discussing who should be the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President.

He said: “I can’t step down for anybody. My group and Yari’s group are talking. No one zone can produce the president of the Senate.

“The partnership will be unveiled. We are in talks and we have decided to be talking. That talk will be unveiled by our sponsors.

“Yari and I will be happy to follow what our sponsors decide.”

He disclosed that in a couple of days, the plan of who become the President of the Senate and his deputy will be made public.

He said: “We are not looking for what to eat, we just want to support Tinubu to succeed. If people think what happened during Saraki will not happen again they are dreaming. We will congratulate who wins and if we win, they should congratulate us.”

He, however, revealed that they will support, whoever wins because, in the next four years, they are going to be sitting in one chamber.

On why he has kept such an ambition secret for some time, Kalu said, “We have the largest press but we decided to go underground. We will unveil our plans on the 13th of June. Whether Yari-Kalu or Kalu-Yari, we will not disappoint Nigerians.”

Speaking on the transition that just took place following the swearing-in of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the president of Nigeria, Kalu said he is happy Nigeria transited to another civilian government without rancor.

Kalu said: “Tinubu should look into abandoned projects. He should look at the Ajakuta steel company, Jos flour mill company, and many other abandoned projects.

“Nigeria has over 11,000 abandoned projects which are taking over our debt servicing. Ministries and parastatals that are no longer viable should either be scrapped or merged.

“Niger Delta Ministry should be scrapped. NDDC should function because they are not supposed to report to the ministry. Nigerians should be happy they have Tinubu as President today.

“All those days of stealing money are gone. Tinubu is not looking for food to eat. People like us are not looking for food to eat. We want to work for Nigeria.”