From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
Senator representing Abia North and Senate Committee Chairman on South East Development Commission (SEDC), Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has rejected a call by Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF) to run for president in 2027 with either Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal or Governor of Adamawa State, Umar Fintiri as running mate.
The coalition of 40 groups made the request yesterday during a visit to former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The president of the group, Eliot Afiyo, who named the former president as the patron of NYLF listed the 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi and former governor of Abia State, Senator Kalu as their preferred presidential candidates while naming Lawal and Fintiri as preferred running mates.
Turning down their request, Kalu in a statement issued from his media office and signed by George Maduka dissociated himself from any presidential race, revealing that he has made his stance on 2027 known and warned against distractions from the opposition.
Kalu said there was no disagreement with the All Progressives Congress (APC) about the candidate for 2027, adding that President Bola Tinubu needs encouragement on the ongoing economic reforms.
He called on the oppositions to concentrate on their political needs and desist from dragging him into their battles
The statement partly read: “Nigerian politics takes place within a framework of a federal and presidential republic and a representative democracy, in which the citizens have rights to vote and be voted for. Senator Kalu has the right to decide on what he should be voted for and the presidency in 2027 is definitely out of it. He has publicly endorsed President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for re-election and he is committed to the required work needed.
“Kalu is a strong believer of Tinubu’s economic reforms . He knows that to sustain the reforms, there must be a focus on long-term stability, inclusivity, and adaptability and the President needs the maximum eight years to achieve it.
“The former governor has utmost respect for the President and their friendship spans across decades, long before they became governors in 1999… Kalu is known for standing firm in what he believes in and he has taken his stand on Tinubu and will continue to encourage him on his bold progressive economic reforms.
“Kalu believes the prosperity of Nigeria will be endless with a successful reform. Since the return of independence, no Nigerian leader has summoned the courage to reform the dwindling Nigerian economy and since Tinubu has taken the bull by the horns, Kalu believes that the best Nigerians can do is to also encourage him and re-elect him in 2027 to complete the good job he has started.”
