Politics
2023 Presidency: Kalu chickens out, says without zoning, he will stay put in the senate
Having come to terms with the reality that the South East and its quest for the presidency can not be achieved without the support of other regions, former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu has shelved his presidential ambition.
The senator had earlier indicated interest to run for the presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with a proviso that the Ruling Party zones it to the South East.
In a statement, the senator personally signed and made available to newsmen on Tuesday he acknowledged that the situation in Nigeria is that without the support of other regions, it would amount to a shadow chasing for a South Easterner to be President.
“This is the reason I have been in the frontline of the call that the two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should zone their presidential tickets to the South East as they did for the South West in 1999.
“In the absence of this zoning, I shall return to the Senate and stay away from the presidential contest. The reality is that the North is more advantageous to win elections in this democratic setting.”
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“It is my desire and intention to run for the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am committed to this pursuit, but I can’t make an official declaration to this regard without the full support of other regions. “Everywhere in the world, politics is situational and that of Nigeria is exceptionally situational.
The situation in Nigeria is that without the support of other regions, it would amount to a shadow chasing for a South Easterner to be President.”
This he said is the reason he has been in the frontline of the advocacy for the two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should zone their presidential tickets to the South East as they did for the South West in 1999.
In the absence of this zoning, he said he will return to the Senate and stay away from the presidential contest. “The reality is that the North is more advantageous to win elections in this democratic setting.”
He expressed dismay with the array of aspirants coming from the South West and the South-South.
“It is embarrassing that these aspirants (APC and PDP) have no single respect and concern for the South East. I had thought they would think about the southeast; I thought they would support us.
“The amount of money being spent by these aspirants is alarming and they have forgotten that money alone cannot buy the presidency.
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“It has become a joke to an ordinary Nigerian who hears Southern commentators and aspirants rooting for a Southern President on the premise of fairness, equity, and justice.
“How can you talk about these morals when you are not even fair to your own brothers?
“If there is anything like “fairness”, “equity” and “justice”, it should be the entire South pushing for a president of southeast extraction. Anything less than that is “hypocritical”, “unjustifiable” and “inordinate”.
“Some ‘persons’ are even claiming God’s anointed choice in 2023. Unfortunately, it is not all prayers that God answers; at least not inordinate ones.
“What moral justification does a Southerner who refused to be fair to his brothers have against a Northerner running for president? It will be very insensitive, unreasonable, and disrespectful for any Southern man to criticize a presidential aspirant from the North on the ground that the North has done eight years and power should return to the South.
“The South West and the South-South have successfully completed their tenures as ‘President and Vice President’.
“They should have the courage to support their brothers from the South East. If the next president after President Muhammadu Buhari does not come from the South East, there would be nothing unfair and unjust if he/she comes from Daura.
“This country belongs to all of us and the unity of the country should be paramount. If not for selfishness and greed, how can you say that where a president comes from does not matter simply because you don’t want to support a president of
Nigeria from the South East, but turn around to clamor for a power shift to the South? “How do we explain this to the younger generation? Let the wise and courageous stay firm on their convictions and not swing on the two sides of the Atlantic.
If you are convinced that where a president comes from does not matter, let Nigerians not hear you clamor for a power shift. Be brave to encourage everyone to run, including President Buhari’s kinsmen. But if you have a conscience and believe in equality, then you should support the South East region that is yet to produce a president. That is what I consider fairness.
The two regions that are yet to produce President he said are South East and North East.
“If this means anything to Nigerians, the APC and PDP should be fair enough to prioritize these regions.
“If power should come to the South and not the South East or North and not the North East, the essence for which the six geopolitical zones were created is long dead.
“To Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Edwin Clark, Deji Adeyanju, and a host of others who has stood firm in their support for their brothers in the South East, posterity will be kind to you.”
Following his observations that ‘the momentum was strong’ Matt Gaetz whom 47th POTUS elect, Donald Trump nominated for Attorney General has withdrawn.
Biztellers reports that this follows his meeting with Senate and the feedback, which included two women, represented by their attorneys, who accused him of having paid for sex.
Consequently, Gaetz placed on record his full commitment to seeing “that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history.”
His withdrawal according his statement on micro-blogging site, X, was based on his conviction that “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle”.
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In is view, “Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1”.
Gaetz wrote, “I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.
“I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.”
His backers have promptly encouraged to take his seat in the House of Representatives, having been elected to the house under the flag of the Republicans to represent Florida.
The Executive Governors from Nigeria’s South West have unanimously nominated Senator Ademola Adeleke as the chairman of the zone on the National Economic Council (NEC).
Adeleke is the Executive Governor of Osun State, southwest, Nigeria.
This, according to the Spokesperson to Governor Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed, transpired on Thursday, at a meeting of the NEC.
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He noted that the meeting reviewed the state of Nigeria’s electricity sector and resolved to engage subnational structures to address current challenges in the sector.
“The meeting particularly sought to build on the devolution of the electricity sector and its movement into the concurrent legislative list which empowers state governments to regulate the sector in their respective areas,” he stated.
Consequently, the NEC, therefore set up an ad hoc committee to review actions in the sector by state governments and explore ways to ramp up activities through coordination, Rasheed highlighted.
The full list of members of NEC’s Ad-hoc Committee on National Electrification:
- Governor of Cross Rivers State, Bassey Out – Chairman, South-South
- Governor of Katsina State, Mallam Dikko Umaru Radda – Chairman, North-West
- Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya – Chairman, North-East
- Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke – Chairman, South-West
- Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma – Chairman, South-East
- Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang – Chairman, North-Central
- Hon. Minister of Finance, Wale Edun
- Hon. Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu
- Special Adviser, NEC and Climate Change, Rukaiya El-Rufai
- Special Adviser, Power Minister, Hon. Bolaji Tunji
- MD/CEO Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu
- MD/CEO Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Jennifer Adighije
- Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazak
- NEC Secretariat
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has announced its decision to back Northern candidates in the 2027 general elections, citing the urgent need to address the worsening socio-economic and security challenges facing the region.
In a communique issued after its National Executive Council meeting in Kaduna on Wednesday, the forum expressed deep concern over the economic state of Northern Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, attributing the region’s struggles to flawed governance and poor policy decisions.
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The ACF criticized the Federal Government’s economic policies, describing them as detrimental to the livelihoods of Northern citizens.
According to the communique, signed by the forum’s National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the policies have compounded the already dire economic conditions in the region.
The statement reads, “Arewa people remain at a great disadvantage, being already worse off economically compared to other parts of Nigeria. While economic reforms are indeed desirable, they should not impoverish the same people they are meant to serve. Policies must have a human face.”
The forum noted that the North faces chronic food insecurity, limited educational and vocational opportunities for youth, and a heavy reliance on small-scale economic activities.
“Livelihoods are currently dependent on micro activities. The region faces acute and chronic food insecurity; its youths lack education and skills training. Daunting as these may be, they can be reversed. The time to think big is now,” the communique emphasized.
The ACF also addressed the pervasive insecurity in the North, warning that the situation has begun to erode public confidence in the government.
“Security is an irreducible minimum of human existence. In this regard, insecurity in its various manifestations remains the most worrisome challenge of Arewa people, that has even started to corrosively undermine the authority of government,” the forum stated.
It condemned the government’s response to the crisis, arguing that the Federal Government has failed to meet its primary duty of safeguarding lives and property.
“That those whose responsibility it is to provide security will be saying they are doing their best is unacceptable,” the communique said. “The minimum duty of government is to safeguard life and property, and doing anything less is a failure.”
The ACF faulted what it described as the “flawed leadership selection process” under the Tinubu administration, claiming it has elevated individuals without the requisite competence or experience to key positions.
It urged the Federal Government to “review, reassess, reevaluate, and re-order the direction of its economic policies with a view to giving it the needed human face.”
Looking ahead to the next general elections, the ACF pledged its support for Northern politicians who demonstrate a clear commitment to addressing the region’s challenges and fostering national development.
“Notwithstanding the parlous state of Arewa’s glaring economic conditions, the policies of the current Federal Government have continued to make matters much worse,” the communique stated.
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