2023 presidency: Tinubu, others not serious, fair to South East — Kalu

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Kalu, has stated that those seeking to contest for president in 2023 from the South West are not fair to the South East and North East.

Kalu said this while responding to questions from newsmen on his visit to President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday night.

According to the former Abia State Governor who met with President Buhari at about 10pm on Tuesday, aspirants from the South West geopolitical zone who are seeking to contest the presidential election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress are not being fair to the South East and North East geopolitical zones, which had never produced the president since 1999.

So far, the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, remains the most prominent aspirant to have declared for the 2023 presidency from the South West.

Though he did not mention Tinubu specifically, the representative of Abia North Senatorial District said: “We want the party to officially zone the presidency to the South.

“The two zones that have not tasted the presidency are the South East and the North East.

“Once they zone it to either the South East or North East, I have the capacity and the capability.

“I will roll and I will rock like a hurricane.

“Aspirants from the South West are pushing, but they are not serious.

“A serious minded person will like to be fair to Nigerians, fair to the society and to be fair to the atmosphere.

“This is because the party is not owned by me or you the media.

“This party is owned by Nigerians and the APC members.

“It is only APC that can decide at the forthcoming convention where the presidential ticket will be zoned to.

“If they zone it to the South East, I have everything it takes to make a good president.”

Asked what he would do if the party does not zone the presidency to the South East, Kalu said: “I will come back to the Senate and sit in the Senate as I am sitting.

“I don’t believe in Igbo presidency but I believe in Nigerian president of Igbo extraction.

“It is overdue for the Igbo to be president.

“I believe that we should produce the next president and it is going to happen.

“I don’t need to push.

“I have to push along with the other regions.”

Asked whether he was consulting already, he said: “No.

“Because it is not yet the time.

On the APC convention, Kalu said: “I am expecting a very good convention, very good atmosphere.

“We are going to make Nigerians proud after the convention.”