According to the Senate chief whip, Lawan’s presidential ambition is gathering steam as other candidates are ready to step down for the Senate President.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has said he’s ready to be a sweeper at the presidential villa if Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, becomes the
President of Nigeria.
Kalu said this while re-echoing his support for the Senate President
on Monday during an interview on Channels Television.
“With Ahmad Lawan, I am ready to be the sweeper of the place (Aso
Rock). I don’t need to have a position if Ahmad Lawan is the
president,” the former Abia State governor noted.
“I can sweep the Villa; my house is very close to the Villa. I can be
the sweeper of the Villa; it is just a stone’s throw. I am not
joking.”
According to the Senate chief whip, Lawan’s presidential ambition is
gathering steam as other candidates are ready to step down for the
Senate President.
“I want to tell you, I have spoken to nine candidates running for
president and they are ready, already discussing stepping down for
Ahmed Lawan,” the lawmaker added.
Kalu, who said he knew Lawan 41 years ago, noted that he believed Lawan was strong enough to give Nigeria the strong leadership needed.
“I have known him 41 years ago,” the Senator said. “We were roommates
at the university. He is strong enough to give the Nigerian people
what they are looking for.”
Speaking further on the qualities Lawan possesses, Kalu went on to say that the Senate President played a vital role in stabilizing the Nigerian parliament, ensuring that several highly important bills were passed, a standard which he says will be replicated when Senator Lawan is voted in as President of the Federation.
In defending his resolve to stand down his presidential ambition, Kalu said he has all it takes but does not have the delegates and the numbers from the South East, adding sadly that the South South and the South West betrayed the Igbos.
“We have supported South West, we supported President Obasanjo, we supported Vice President Osinbajo, we supported Vice President Jonathan for five years and we supported President Jonathan for 6 years, why can’t they support us?” the lawmaker bitterly questioned.
Kalu reiterated his earlier stand which is that if the presidency is not zoned to the South East in the ruling party, then let the North East have the mandate.
“Any southerner that is not from South East and is coming to run for president is a betrayer, they are the ones betraying us,” the parliamentarian submitted.
Nevertheless, the Senator went on to assert that the Igbos are wiser now than ever before. He further remarked that nobody can make the Southeasterners quarrel with the North.
“To be President of Nigeria, it is advantageous to be with the North, so I am not pretending about it,” he stressed.
The Chief Whip in his recapitulation maintained that if the 2023 presidency will not be given to the South East, then it would only make sense that the North East gets the position.